How Luther Badejo facilitated rape of transgender patient in psychiatric ward

A British-Nigerian man, Luther Badejo, is on trial for allegedly helping in the rape of a transgender patient in an all-male ward at the Eden Ward secure psychiatric unit of Lambeth Hospital, London, a court heard.

Prosecutors told Inner London Crown Court that the complainant, a transgender man who is biologically female, was targeted soon after being admitted. One alleged attacker reportedly shouted, “no Adam’s apple, no Adam’s apple.”

The complainant went into a side room to avoid other patients asking, “Are you a girl?” but was followed by Davointe Thomas, 25, and Luther Badejo, 29. Thomas allegedly blocked a doorway, pushed the complainant into a cupboard, forced down their trousers, and raped them, while Badejo stood guard as an accomplice.

The complainant fled to their room and later to the television area, but Thomas and Badejo allegedly pursued them again. Prosecutors say Thomas pushed the complainant onto a sofa and raped them again, while Badejo allegedly watched and prevented intervention.

The alleged assaults happened on April 12, 2022, in a ward for men with severe mental health conditions, some of whom had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

Prosecutor Kate Bex KC told the court that staff shortages and lack of supervision left the complainant unattended. “The fact that the complainant is biologically female, if it was appropriate to transfer him to a male ward at all, the hospital should have provided one-to-one monitoring. But this did not happen. He was left unattended and without supervision,” she said. She added that hospital failings do not excuse the alleged assaults by Thomas or Badejo.

The complainant said they told Thomas they did not want sex, but staff did not act. The assaults came to light only after a fight broke out between Thomas and another patient who had been told what happened.

The complainant phoned police and was taken to King’s College Hospital. Thomas later called police in April 2022 to give his version, saying in a phone recording: “I’ve been accused of rape but I’ve not been interviewed. All I did was kiss the girl. It’s a gender fluid girl that was admitted saying she was a boy. She’s a girl but says she’s a boy. We both said we love each other, so I don’t understand what’s going on. Nothing happened. Staff keep saying ‘you raped someone’ to wind me up.”

Badejo had been transferred to the same hospital due to an administrative error. The complainant recognized him at Bethlem Royal Hospital on April 27, 2022, and phoned 999.

Thomas was interviewed by police in October 2022 and initially said ‘no comment’ until told his semen had been found on the complainant’s underwear. He then stated: “The complainant and I were very friendly to one another, and I didn’t force him to do anything.” Badejo told police in December 2022 that he could not remember the events.

Hospital support worker Pedro Egharavba said he saw Thomas with his trousers halfway down and the complainant in front of him, while Badejo walked past and offered him a cup of tea. Egharavba added he did not know the patient was transgender and had not considered it.

Charlotte Godber, defending Thomas, told the jury her client had consensual sex with the complainant.

Thomas denies two counts of rape, while Badejo denies one. The trial continues.