An Indian surgeon who was studying at Dundee University has been refused bail after admitting sexually assaulting a student nurse on a city bus.
Married Sandeep Patonde (34) moved to Dundee from Mumbai to enhance his surgery skills on a Ninewells Hospital course only weeks before he carried out the attack.
Following the incident, the orthopaedic surgeon boasted to colleagues how he had been ”smooching and touching” the woman. But Dundee Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday that he actually said to her: ”You’re scared of me, aren’t you?”
He admitted on September 30, onboard the number 5 bus travelling from the city centre to Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, and while within the hospital grounds, he assaulted a woman, pulled down her upper clothing to look at her breast, placed his hand on her knees and thighs, prevented her from moving from her seat aboard the bus, held her by her upper arms and attempted to kiss her.
Depute fiscal Donna Davidson told the court Patonde had started a conversation with the complainer.
She added: ”The accused then stated: ‘You’re scared of me, aren’t you,’ which made the complainer feel very intimidated.”
Ms Davidson said Patonde then kept trying to touch her and blocked her way. The assault then took place.
When the bus arrived at Ninewells, Patonde followed the woman, grabbed her and called her an idiot for being scared.
Ms Davidson said: ”He started asking the complainer to be his girlfriend and started touching her face. The complainer repeatedly pushed the accused away.”
Patonde pursued her until she was 25 yards from the nurses’ residence, where she rang the police.
When asked by police why he had told witnesses he had been ”smooching” the woman, he replied he had been showing off.
Defending Patonde, his agent Patrick O’Dea said his client, who has no previous convictions, was ”very guilty and shameful of what he’s done.”
Patonde had been shown a DVD of the woman returning distressed to her room following the incident.
”Since that time he has continually remarked that he has totally shamed himself and his family,” Mr O’Dea said. ”He can’t explain why he has done this.”
He said Patonde had £2,000 at his disposal and he would prefer to make as much money as possible available in compensation to his victim.
He added: ”The repercussions for him will be significant. He is married. He doesn’t know if he will be able to practise again in any official capacity.”
Sheriff Duff told Patonde: ”The notion that you could commit this crime and then come here today with £2,000 expecting to buy your way out of custody is an offence to the criminal justice system.
”It is clear, however, that a community-based sentence is absolutely inappropriate. Having regard to the sentence, which I view as inevitable and the flight risk you pose, I refuse bail in the meantime.”
Sheriff Duff deferred sentence to July 11, remanded Patonde in custody and placed him on the sex offenders register.