A British Indian nurse, Naijil Paul, has been sentenced to seven years and nine months in prison after he admitted to raping one colleague and sexually assaulting two others at a care home in Scotland. The sentencing took place at the High Court in Glasgow on December 9, 2025, bringing an end to a case that stretched across two countries and lasted almost seven years.
Paul, who is 47 years old and originally from Kerala, pleaded guilty earlier in October 2025 to one charge of rape and two charges of sexual assault. The offences took place in 2018 when he worked as a manager at Acorn Park Care Home in North Lanarkshire.
During the hearing, Judge Lord Renucci stated that Paul showed predatory behaviour and abused his position of authority. He also noted that Paul attempted to shift some blame onto the victims, which the court viewed as an aggravating factor. The judge said Paul’s conduct had caused deep psychological harm to the women who trusted him as a senior staff member.
The most serious offence occurred in April 2018 when Paul raped a 26 year old colleague in the office of the care home. The woman had just returned from sick leave and was worried about losing her job. Paul used her vulnerability against her. He locked the office door, told her she needed to follow his instructions to keep her job, and forced himself on her. The victim immediately felt fear and humiliation but continued working at the facility because she needed the income.
In February 2018, Paul sexually assaulted a 19 year old care assistant by touching her without consent and attempting to kiss her. She resisted and later told investigators that she felt unsafe working near him. The third victim, a 21 year old colleague, reported that Paul made unwanted advances, inappropriate comments and physical contact that made her uncomfortable. Although she tried to avoid him, she said his position as a manager made it difficult to speak up.
Paul was charged in 2018, but just days before his trial was scheduled to begin on December 4, 2019, he fled to Kochi in Kerala. He told authorities he needed to care for his sick father, but he never returned for the hearing. For nearly six years, he lived in India while Scotland Police and international agencies tracked him.
Indian authorities arrested Paul in February 2025, and following legal procedures, he was extradited from Delhi to Scotland later that year. Once back in the United Kingdom, he entered guilty pleas and awaited sentencing.
Along with the prison term, Paul will remain on the sex offenders register for life. After completing his sentence, he will be supervised for two additional years and cannot contact any of the victims.
(Rh/ARC)
