Carer caught on CCTV letting dog scratch vulnerable pensioner

A carer was caught on camera ill-treating a pensioner with dementia she was meant to be caring for, a court heard.

Jenny Dady, 29, was employed to look after the 69-year-old in  her home but Norwich Crown Court heard that over a seven-week period she was caught acting in a "mean and unpleasant" way to the pensioner.

Simon Connolly, prosecuting, said the victim lacked the mental capacity to do things for herself and said that there were four occasions in particular with one incident in October 2019  when Dady  brought her dog to work  and allowed it to scratch the victim.

There were also three other incidents in November 2019. He said on one occasion she had roughly handled the victim and grabbed her by her hair and another time by her nose. She also forced a biscuit into her mouth and fed her with her hands.

He said on another occasion she left the victim unattended after she came out of the shower.

Dady of Furze Road, Norwich, admitted ill-treating or wilfully neglecting a person lacking capacity while acting as a carer.

Jailing her for six months,  Judge Katharine Moore said she had acted in a mean and unpleasant way to the victim.

She said Dady was there to care for the victim not treat her in the way she did.

"You were temperamentally unsuited to this type of work."

Judge Moore accepted she was remorseful and extremely sorry but said she had no alternative but to jail her.

Andrew Oliver, for Dady, said she was deeply ashamed.

He said she had been working as a carer for four years and at the time of the  offences things had got too much for her and she was burned out.

"It was an extremely challenging time."

He said she had now got help from her GP and was rebuilding her life.

"She feels appalled that she was able to behave as she did in an uncaring and mean way. Her behaviour is rough treatment rather than a deliberate intention to inflict injury."

The court heard she will no longer be able to work in the care sector.