Rapist surgeon sentenced for misusing patient records

Salil Korambayil was convicted of raping two women in 2023

A trainee surgeon already in prison for raping two women has been given a further custodial sentence for misusing patient records at two hospitals.

Salil Korambayil, 32, of Redhill, Surrey, was jailed in December 2023 for raping the two women in their Devon and Cornwall homes after he pursued them online.

At Truro Crown Court earlier, he admitted three charges related to accessing patient records without authorisation at hospitals in Truro in Cornwall and Barnstaple in north Devon.

He was sentenced to two 12-month concurrent sentences for the patient records charges, which will run consecutively to the 14 years he is already serving for three counts of rape.

Korambayil's rape sentences can now be reported following the lifting of reporting restrictions earlier by the court.

He had denied carrying out the attacks in north Devon in 2020 and in Cornwall in 2021.

Salil Korambayil was jailed in December 2023 for raping two women in their Devon and Cornwall homes

The Indian national had moved to England in 2016 and worked in hospitals as a trainee colorectal and vascular surgeon until 2021, the court heard.

At the hearing earlier, he admitted two counts relating to the unauthorised access of patient data held by Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust and the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust.

He also pleaded guilty to a third count of unlawfully obtaining personal data at Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust, for which there was no separate penalty.

'Horror and violation'

At sentencing earlier, Judge Simon Carr said there had been an "appalling breach of trust" and that people’s "confidence had been shaken" in the hospital trusts involved.

"These are serious offences by a person in a position of trust," he said.

The hospitals had sent letters to patients telling them their private information had been accessed and if they had been approached inappropriately to get in touch.

Judge Carr said anybody opening such a letter would feel "horror and violation".

The hospital trusts said in statements they were "appalled" by Korambayil's actions and welcomed the sentences for both the rapes and data breaches.

They said they have been assured he had not passed personal information on and changes had been made to procedures and checks.

'Haunted by flashbacks'

The rape trial in 2023 heard how Korambayil targeted women over a sustained period and exercised power over them.

In an impact statement, the Cornwall rape victim said: "I have been so haunted by flashbacks, nightmares and triggers that I felt like my brain had broken.

"I was unable to complete sentences, finish thoughts or function beyond basic survival."

Addressing Korambayil in her statement, she added: "Despite all the disruption, distress and trauma, I take comfort and pride in knowing that your decision to pick on me that night led to you eventually paying for your crimes."

Lead investigator Det Insp Daniel Massey, from Devon and Cornwall Police, described Korambayil's actions as "truly awful crimes" and paid tribute to the "courageous victims".

He added: "The offender was a man in a position of trust and authority, and he abused that position with his actions. We would like to thank everyone who supported this investigation and helped us to achieve this outcome."