I saw the howling rapist crying in court, but his tears were only for himself

On a video screen in Courtroom 46, Sidharth Nair appeared, apparently close to tears and with his hands folded as if he were praying.

His voice broke with emotion as he pleaded, “I didn’t do it. I plead not guilty.”

Within three months, he changed his mind drastically. On February 29 this year, Nair pleaded not guilty to charges of rape, sexual assault and sexual battery via videolink at HMP Altcourse.

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The 29-year-old was remanded in custody after being charged with a truly horrific crime. He had only been employed as a nursing assistant at Whiston Hospital for around two weeks when he was accused of raping a patient in her own bed.

Nair’s denials led to the case being scheduled for a hearing under Section 28, which involves a complainant or witness’s statement being pre-recorded without a jury present, on May 9 at Liverpool Crown Court. It was only due to nationwide technical difficulties in creating such a recording that the hearing was ultimately cancelled and the victim was not forced to relive her ordeal in public.

But just days later, on May 17, Nair changed his plea to guilty. When he appeared in court again for sentencing on Wednesday of this week, he displayed exactly the same body language he did in late winter when he falsely claimed his innocence.