In a landmark case, Jossy Joseph, a man who sexually assaulted a vulnerable woman nearly 18 years ago and then fled to India, has been brought to justice and sentenced to four years in prison. The judge presiding over the case at Norwich Crown Court emphasised that Joseph was “clearly a threat to women.”
The 55-year-old defendant, described as having no fixed address, admitted to sexually assaulting the woman at a Care Home in Swanton Novers between October 16 and 19, 2005, during a previous hearing. The victim had endured brain damage due to a severe head injury during her earlier years and resided in the residential care home at the time of the assault.
During sentencing, Judge Shaw highlighted the significant degree of planning involved in the crime, branding it a clear abuse of trust. Joseph, initially employed as a carer at the facility in April 2005, continued to work despite being warned about attending under the influence of alcohol. His role was subsequently changed to maintenance and driving responsibilities.
The court heard harrowing testimony from a female carer who observed the victim behaving unusually withdrawn, distant, and agitated on October 18, 2005, when assisting her with getting dressed. The victim disclosed that a man had entered her room the night before and sexually assaulted her.
Detectives specially trained in these delicate cases interviewed the victim and obtained crucial forensic evidence. Joseph, however, managed to flee to India, providing varying explanations to family, friends, and colleagues to conceal his departure from the UK. Investigators established Joseph’s forensic links to the sexual assault and identified him as the primary suspect.
Over several years, Norfolk officers pursued an international investigation, ultimately locating and extraditing Joseph from India in late 2022. Upon his return to the UK on January 12, 2023, he was charged with the sexual assault and promptly taken into custody.
Detective Inspector Kevin Barber, who led the investigation starting in 2016, described Joseph as a cruel sexual predator who violated the trust placed in him by the victim, her family, and the care home. Barber expressed his determination to bring offenders to justice, emphasising that sexual offences committed by staff in care homes are extremely rare in Norfolk.
In response to the conviction and sentencing, the victim’s family released a statement expressing gratitude to Norfolk Constabulary and other parties involved in seeking justice. They lamented the failure to protect their vulnerable daughter and acknowledged the ongoing emotional impact the crime has had on her. While acknowledging the sentence might not fully reflect the true extent of the harm caused, the family hopes that important lessons in safeguarding the most vulnerable in care will guide future practices.
