A carer found guilty of abusing a dementia patient at a Fife care home tried to blame younger colleagues for “making up lies” to cover up their own mistakes.
Pauline Wilson was convicted after trial of mistreating the elderly woman – who has since died – at the Henderson House nursing complex in Dalgety Bay.
The court heard she deliberately sprayed water in the patient’s face and was overheard calling other residents “fat”, “greedy” and “disgusting”
But when Wilson returned to Dunfermline Sheriff Court on Wednesday to learn her sentence, her solicitor said she had not accepted the court’s verdict.
“Her position has not changed and she maintains she did not commit these offences,” the defence agent said.
“Up to this point she has been of impeccable character and had an unblemished record.
“She had worked in a caring capacity for a number of years.”
She told the court: “This matter has taken a high personal toll on her. She was suspended in November 2019 and lost her job in the summer of 2020.
“She lost a job she loved and she will be unable to work in a caring capacity again.”
She said Wilson had since been working for the NHS Track and Trace system.
A gross breach of trust
Sheriff Wylie Robertson noted that a social work report compiled ahead of sentencing indicated that Wilson had pointed the finger at other staff.
He said: “You have been found guilty of ill-treating one resident and abusing others while you were a carer working in a residential care home.
“From the social work report it appears you blame two other workers for telling lies because they had been criticised for their level of working.”
However, he noted that some of the behaviour had been witnessed by people other than those staff members.
He added: “The abuse of vulnerable dementia patients is a very serious matter and is aggravated by the fact you were a carer.
“This is a gross breach of trust.”
He said patients and their families expected they would be treated with dignity.
Sheriff Robertson ordered her to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work.
Internal probe
The court had previously heard that Wilson deliberately spraying water directly into the woman’s face as she was being showered.
It also heard that she made abusive comments at other residents and told one to “shut up”.
The 56-year-old’s employment at the home was terminated following an internal investigation.
Wilson, 56, of Harbour Place, Dalgety Bay, was found guilty of ill-treating or neglecting the woman by intentionally spraying water in her face, causing unnecessary discomfort.
She was also convicted of a charge that on various occasions she shouted, swore and made derogatory and offensive comments.
