A Brazilian anaesthesiologist has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexually assaulting two women while they were in labour. Giovanni Quintella Bezerra, 35, was also ordered to pay compensation to each victim. The court denied an appeal by Bezerra's defence against the sentence, which comes nearly three years after his arrest for the crimes.

Bezerra was caught red-handed by colleagues who grew suspicious of his actions during a caesarean section at the Heloneida Studart Women's Hospital in Sao Joao de Meriti. Investigations revealed that the victim had been given an excessive amount of anaesthetic and could not recall the incident. His colleagues recorded the crime on camera, leading to his arrest.

Following the incident, at least 30 other women assisted by Bezerra came forward to report similar experiences. His professional registration as an anaesthesiologist was revoked without the possibility of appeal by medical councils in Rio de Janeiro. The case sparked outrage and condemnation from people in Brazil and beyond.