Carers caught being 'too rough' with dementia sufferer after video camera hidden in bedroom, court hears
Two carers were caught ill treating an elderly man after his daughter - worried by bruises on his body - hid a video camera in a lamp in his bedroom, a jury heard.
The footage showed the pair - Pauline Demaurie and Manjit Kaur - being 'too rough' with 87-year-old dementia sufferer Edward Bridge and aiming blows at him, said Mr Andrew Wilkes, prosecuting.
He told Wolverhampton Crown Court: "It makes difficult viewing. It is clear that for some of the time the two defendants are acting appropriately.
"But it also shows that a time comes when they simply lose patience. He is man handled roughly, causing him pain. Miss Kaur seems to strike at him. Miss Demaurie, too, seems to lash out and threaten him with violence."
Mr Bridge had been a resident at Lyndon Hall Care Home in West Bromwich for four years when the alleged ill treatment occurred during the early hours of September 18, 2014.
Mr Buddy Bondo, manager of the 78-bed home, told the jury: "He was a difficult resident to manage but we had staff trained to deal with all sorts of behaviour."
Among the medical complaints suffered by Mr Bridge - who is now deceased - was a calcium deficiency that made him tender to the touch, it was said.
Mr Watkins declared: "He lacked capacity to make decisions for himself. He could ramble and sometimes, apparently, lash out. None of that means he should not have been handled at all times with care and dignity."
The prosecutor added: "By September 2014 his daughter had become concerned about the care he was receiving at the home and about bruising that appeared on his body."
Mr Bridge's daughter, Mrs Mary Warren, aged 65, said in a statement read to the court: "Since he has been there I have seen many bruises on him. I had reported those before because I was worried. I was told this was the result of his medication. I decided to take my own action."
She hid a video camera inside a lamp in his room and made a 10 day long continuous recording. Mr Watkins concluded: "Mrs Warren saw the footage and handed it to the police. An investigation started and these two defendants were arrested."
Demaurie, aged 40, from California Road, Tividale and Kaur, 34, of Arlington Road, West Bromwich both deny ill treatment by 'wilfully neglecting Mr Bridge and directing blows towards him.'
The trial continues.
