Amal Bose: Blackpool Victoria Hospital consultant sexually assaulted five female staff, ‘only flirting’

A former doctor has been jailed after he sexually assaulted five female staff members over the course of six years while working as a senior consultant.

Alan Bose, 55, spent six years groping women while working at Blackpool Victoria Hospital in the UK.

On Monday, Bose was sentenced to six years in prison after he was found guilty of 12 counts of sexual assault carried out between 2017 and 2022.

At trial earlier this year, Bose was accused of being the root cause of a toxic and sexualised work culture at the hospital because he touched women inappropriately and made sexualised comments toward them while they were working.

Throughout the trial, he continued to claim his actions were “only flirting” and were just “banter”, according to a statement from Lancashire Constabulary.

The victims of Bose’s vile acts provided the court with victim impact statements, detailing the effect his offending had on their lives during the time of the offences, and long-term difficulties they experience now because of his actions.

Several of the victims specifically changed their work hours in an attempt to avoid Bose, calling in sick out of fear of what he would do to them.

Some of the women left the medical profession entirely as a result of his criminal actions.

They have also struggled with their mental health, citing increased levels of anxiety following the offending. Some have also experienced panic attacks and a loss of self-confidence.

One victim said that Bose had violated both her body and her ability to place trust in a workplace and respect in colleagues, as she now fears predatory intentions.

Kirsty Wyatt, a temporary detective chief inspector, expressed disdain at Bose’s abuse of power.

“Everyone should feel able to go to work and feel safe, confident and secure but Mr Bose has undermined that by abusing his position of power to sexually assault these female members of staff and by doing so has caused enormous damage,” she said.

She thanked the victims for coming forward and speaking about their horrific encounters with Bose.

“While he may have considered his behaviour as merely flirting Mr Bose’s actions have clearly had a deep and lasting impact on his victims and in some cases has caused them to abandon the profession they loved,” she said.

“I would like to thank the jury for their careful consideration of the facts of this case and the Crown Prosecution Service for their presentation of the evidence.

“Finally, I hope that the guilty verdicts in this case give others who may have suffered similar ordeals the confidence to report it to us safe in the knowledge we will investigate professionally and sensitively.”

Bose was cleared of two other counts of sexual assault.

If you or someone you know needs help, contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), or Sexual Assault Counselling Australia on 1800 211 028 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.