Care worker arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting two women in their 80s at nursing home

Police in Takatsuki City, Osaka Prefecture, have arrested a 54-year-old man who works at a nursing home on suspicion of sexually assaulting two women in their 80s with dementia who are residents at the care facility.

Police said the suspect, Shinichi Yamashita, has denied the allegation, and quoted him as saying “I only engaged in sexual acts as part of care to alleviate their dementia. I did not engage in actual sexual intercourse,” Sankei Shimbun reported.

According to police, Yamashita is accused of sexually assaulting the two women while on the overnight shift early in the morning of May 19. Both women were in a state where they needed assistance even to walk, and lived in separate private rooms.

Yamashita later reported to the facility staff that “a male resident was molesting women.”

However, after checking security cameras, suspicions arose that Yamashita himself was involved, and the facility contacted the police.