James Ng’Ang’A Irungu: Kenyan immigrant care worker who forced dementia suffering grandfather, 83, to perform sex act on him learns his fate

An elderly care worker, captured on camera, repeatedly forces an elderly patient with dementia to perform sexual acts. He is likely to be deported when his prison sentence ends.

27-year-old Kenyan immigrant James Ng’Ang’A Irungu was sentenced to two years in prison on Thursday after pleading guilty to three counts of indecent assault on an incapacitated person.

Irungu, who described himself as a “secret homosexual”, worked as an aged care worker at The Queenslea in Claremont in Perth’s south-west until March.

His duties included caring for an 83-year-old male patient who suffered from both dementia and Parkinson’s disease, which caused his arms and hands to shake uncontrollably.

The man’s daughter had surveillance cameras installed and was shocked when she watched the footage. She saw her father being forced to perform sexual acts three times.

The Western Australian Court heard that Irungu placed the man’s hand on his genitals in his pants, the ABC reported.

When the victim pulled his hand away, Irungu put it back, Judge Alan Sefton was told.

The man’s daughter reported the horrific crime to the police and Irungu was arrested and charged in March of this year and has been in custody ever since.

The only explanation he could give police for his actions was that he had “repressed” his sexuality and was struggling to fund his postgraduate studies in mechanical engineering at Edith Cowan University, the court heard.

Irungu’s despicable actions caused his elderly victim “huge shame” and the man’s health deteriorated after the incident. The patient died in July.

A prosecutor told the court that Irungu “exploited vulnerabilities for his own gratification”.

Irungu’s lawyer told the court his client had “repressed his sexuality” and now felt “deep shame” because of a strict Christian upbringing in his home country of Kenya.

The court also heard that Irungu had been struggling financially since arriving in Australia in 2023.

Judge Sefton said the victim required significant care and could not defend herself against sexual interference.

“You have selfishly betrayed that trust (that trust in you),” he told Irungu.

‘You were in a caring position.’

Judge Sefton said the sentence reflected the seriousness of the crimes.

Until March, Irungu worked as a care worker for the elderly at The Queenslea in Claremont in Perth’s south-west.

Irungu was sentenced to eight months, twelve months and sixteen months in prison for the three charges respectively.

The first and third charges are cumulative, bringing the total sentence to 24 months.

The sentence was backdated to the date he was first arrested in March.

Judge Sefton told Irungu that his visa would “likely be revoked and he would be deported” when his sentence was completed.

Irungu describes himself on his LinkedIn profile as a “versatile mechanical engineer with a passion for electrical engineering and renewable energy.”

He completed several internships as an engineer in Kenya before going to Australia to continue his studies.

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