An aged-care worker has been sentenced to more than 10 years' imprisonment after being convicted of raping one elderly resident and sexually assaulting another at a residential care facility. Following the lifting of name suppression, RNZ has identified the offender as Nilushan Jayanga Silva Ginthota Vidhanage. The care facility where the offending occurred remains permanently suppressed by court order.
INR Report: Based on reporting by Sam Sherwood for RNZ HERE.
Suppression Lifted
The Christchurch District Court has lifted name suppression for Nilushan Jayanga Silva Ginthota Vidhanage, allowing him to be publicly identified after his conviction for rape and two charges of unlawful sexual connection involving elderly residents under his care. The name of the residential care facility where he worked remains permanently suppressed.
Judge Jane Farish sentenced Vidhanage to 10 years and six months' imprisonment, describing the offending as a profound breach of trust against highly vulnerable victims.
Serious Breach Of Trust
During sentencing, the Crown described the offending as one of the most serious forms of abuse outside intra-family offending.
Judge Farish said both victims were especially vulnerable because of their physical and mental conditions and because they were living in a facility where they were entitled to feel safe.
"You're there to provide cares because they can no longer do that for themselves, and you abuse that trust."
The judge found several aggravating features, including the victims' vulnerability and the significant breach of trust inherent in the caregiver's role.
Additional Offending
The court also heard that Vidhanage later pleaded guilty to intimidating an 11-year-old girl after allegedly attempting to persuade her to enter his vehicle.
Judge Farish said the girl acted courageously by refusing, recording the vehicle registration number and reporting the incident to her mother, leading to his apprehension.
Because Vidhanage continued to deny the sexual offending, the judge said no credit could be given for remorse. He is expected to be deported to Sri Lanka after serving one-third of his sentence.
Care Home Granted Suppression
The residential care facility successfully applied for permanent name suppression.
Evidence presented to the court stated there were no systemic failings by the facility and that publication of its identity would likely cause undue hardship to vulnerable residents, staff and families.
Judge Katie Elkin accepted those submissions, concluding there was no public benefit in identifying the facility where the offending occurred and that doing so could unnecessarily undermine trust between residents and caregivers.
Police also confirmed they do not currently believe there are further victims connected to the facility but encouraged anyone with concerns to contact them.
New Zealand Context
This case highlights one of the greatest responsibilities placed upon aged-care providers: protecting some of the country's most vulnerable people.
New Zealand's growing elderly population means increasing numbers of families entrust residential care facilities with the wellbeing of parents and grandparents who may be physically frail, cognitively impaired or unable to advocate for themselves. Cases such as this inevitably raise questions about recruitment processes, staff vetting, internal reporting mechanisms and ongoing supervision within the aged-care sector.
The court's decision to permanently suppress the identity of the care facility is also significant. The judge accepted there was no evidence of institutional failure and that identifying the facility would likely cause unnecessary hardship to residents and staff while offering little public benefit. The ruling reflects the balance courts must strike between open justice and protecting innocent people who may otherwise suffer lasting consequences from the actions of a single employee.
Source
RNZ — Sam Sherwood, Caregiver who was jailed for raping elderly woman and sexually assaulting another named, published 7 July 2026.