Ella Janneh sued therapist Michael Lousada, 57, with claims that he raped and sexually assaulted her at his clinic in Belsize Park, London, August in 2016. Ms Janneh, who now lives in Melbourne, Australia, reported what happened to the Metropolitan Police a day later, but the case was dropped in May 2018. She then waived her right to anonymity, and launched the proceedings after the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to press charges against him. 

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Ms Janneh had visited Mr Lousada after suffering panic attacks during consensual sex because she was abused as a child. She states she suffered a panic attack during the session, leaving her unable to communicate and "incapable of providing valid and informed consent" as a result. The High Court heard that Mr Lousada described his penis as "like a laser beam" that could "burn up trauma" during the £750 session. Despite this, Ms Janneh did not ask for or consent to the use of penile penetration as a "therapeutic technique".

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In his ruling, Mr Justice Jeremy Baker said he had "no doubt" Ms Janneh was suffering a "full-blown dissociative panic attack" and that she "entirely lacked capacity" to consent to what took place. Ms Janneh has been awarded over £200,000 in damages, and"After an eight-year fight” she is “proud to have achieved the beginnings of accountability against Mike Lousada and what he did to me”.

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