Carers Admit Abusing 85-Year-Old Patient (UK)

Two St Helens carers admit abusing 85-year-old patient at Rainford nursing home

May 5 2010 

by Chloe Griffiths, Liverpool Daily Post

TWO carers are facing prison after admitting ill-treating a wheelchair-bound 85-year-old woman at a nursing home.

David Hill, 48, and Kathleen Roberts, 57, pleaded guilty to abusing vulnerable Dorothy Tunstall for their own amusement while working at the St Helens care home.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Mrs Tunstall suffered from dementia, needed a wheelchair and had no short-term memory.

But, over the course of three months, unit manager and nurse Hill took pleasure in squirting water in her face, dropping food on her forehead and unnecessarily moving her in the electronic hoist.

It is understood Roberts, of Dunmail Avenue, was less involved, but encouraged Hill, of Cowley Hill Lane, both St Helens, to carry out the abuse at the Victoria Care Home on Victoria Street, Rainford.

They both appeared at the Crown Court for their trial yesterday.

But, at the eleventh hour, they both changed their pleas and pleaded guilty to one charge of ill-treatment or neglect of a person who lacks mental capacity between January 1 and March 16, last year.

Hill was originally charged with four further counts of ill-treatment involving four other patients but Robert Altham, prosecuting, told the court those other allegations would not be proceeded with.

Before the pair pleaded guilty, barristers representing them had asked the judge for an indication of the likely sentence.

Judge Warnock told Hill he was facing up to seven months behind bars, while Roberts was looking at a five-month sentence.

But he told the pair he would not indicate whether he would suspend the sentence or impose it immediately.

The judge granted both of them bail to await sentence on May 26 on conditions not to approach the care home or contact other people who work there.

SOURCE:   Liverpool Daily Post
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