Makesi So’oa pleads guilty to sexual assaults on student nurse at hospital

A young nurse has been subjected to a disgraceful sexual attack at the hands of a former tree lopper she was caring for in hospital.

Makesi So'oa faced Maroochydore District Court on Monday. Picture: Sam Turner

A former treelopper has been jailed after the “disgraceful” sexual assault of a young nurse who was caring for him in hospital.

Makesi So’oa had a sick wife at home when he indecently touched the 18-year-old medical worker three times over two days in 2019 while he was admitted as a patient at a Queensland hospital.

The 56-year-old had asked for the victim to bathe him specifically in bed on November 5, 2019 when he grabbed her bottom after she rolled him onto her side.

Crown prosecutor Erica Zammit said the Marsden man grabbed the victim’s bottom again the next day during another bath.

Later that day as she came to do observations on him, So’oa put his hand through the bed railing and indecently touched her a third time.

Judge Vicki Loury KC said the middle-aged man started to masturbate under the sheets and said he loved her, how he hadn’t “done this in a long time”, and “it’s coming”.

Makesi So'oa (right, black shirt) before his sentence. Picture: Sam Turner

Police were called who spoke to So’oa but he downplayed his sexual crimes and said he touched the inside of her leg because he was “horny”.

He was charged with three counts of sexual assault however failed to appear in court a number of times since his arrest which led to delays in court proceedings.

So’oa eventually pleaded guilty in Maroochydore District Court and faced sentencing on Monday.

Ms Zammit said the student nurse had the right to feel safe at work, especially in healthcare.

Defence barrister David Funch said So’oa’s wife was dying at the time and he suffered from poor mental health, to put the offending into context.

“What, and he thought betraying her would be a good way to show his love for her?” asked Judge Loury.

Mr Funch said the 56-year-old had since accepted how grossly inappropriate and disgraceful his offending was.

The court was told So’oa came from a prejudicial upbringing in Samoa and moved to New Zealand where he met his wife and started his family, before they moved to Australia in 2012.

So’oa (right, black shirt) pleaded guilty. Picture: Sam Turner

The barrister said the Marsden man’s wife died in 2022 but was on dialysis for quite some time prior.

When she died he lost the family home and became homeless, but engaged with mental health services after this.

Mr Funch said So’oa could be punished by way of a suspended sentence, with the court being told he may get deported back to Samoa depending on his punishment.

Judge Loury however was not swayed, and instead listed the profound impacts the offending had on the victim through her statement.

The District Court Judge said the offending “stripped” the victim of confidence, impacted her relationships with men and made her feel constantly on edge at work. She said it was “life changing” for the victim.

“She showed considerable compassion for you, [but] what you did was reprehensible and disgraceful,” she told So’oa.

So’oa was jailed for 12 months, which will be suspended after he serves five months of actual time behind bars.

Ten days of custody he spent following a previous breach of bail was taken as time already served.