Derbyshire care worker 'manhandled' elderly lady suffering from dementia, court hears

Staff observed Lorraine Anne Carrington pull the woman from a chair she was using to shuffle across the floor by her arms, before pulling her across the room and pushing her in a chair, Chesterfield Magistrates Court was told on Wednesday, December 11.

She was then seem to push the resident into a chair, sit down next to her and put her legs over those of the elderly lady to stop her from moving, the court heard.

Prosecuting, Emma Heath-Tilford, said: “The victim was in the care home following a fall she had in April of this year. She was in hospital and wasn’t able to return to her home. Her daughter said she suffers from dementia and needs 24-hour care.”

Another staff member, who was escorting another resident across the lounge area of the Ceders and Larches Care Home, in Queen’s Drive, Ilkeston, witnessed the incident and reported it the following day.She added that they old lady’s shuffling around in the chair was an indication that she was feeling stressed.

“The other employee saw the defendant place herself between the other resident and the chair. She was intimidating and aggressive and she used excessive force to pull her towards the chair,” Mrs Heath-Tilford added.“She described it as manhandling her around the room and then into another chair.”

Carrington, 48, of Dovedale Circle, Cotmanhay, Ilkeston, initially denied common assault on July 7 this year, but was found guilty at a trial on December 4.The lady in question has now been moved to another care home, the court heard.

Mitigating, Denney Lau said that Carrington was no longer employed as a care worker and was currently living on Universal Credit.

Carrington was given a 12-month community order, to include 26 rehabilitation days and 100 hours of unpaid work. She was also ordered to pay £620 in costs and a £90 victim surcharge.