Carer denies ill treating a 91-year-old woman with dementia

Raymond Gahagan, 22, was suspended from his role at Sherwood Lodge Care Home, on Sherwood Way, Fulwood, Preston, when the allegations first came to light in December 2013, prosecutor Alison Mather told jurors.

Gahagan, of Cedar Road, Ribbleton, Preston, is on trial at Preston’s Sessions House Court, where two co-workers gave evidence about his behaviour with pensioner Sheila Nichols in 2013.

He denies two counts of ill treatment of a person who lacked mental capacity and told jurors the allegations were not true and that he was caring.

Agency worker Rebecca Wearden, who was working alongside him at 7.30am on December 10, 2013, told jurors he pulled the pensioner’s bedcovers off her, causing her to shiver and manhandled her to change her incontinence pad.

She said Gahagan had scrubbed Mrs Nichols’ face roughly with a towel and brushed her hair with a nail brush.

The pensioner told Miss Wearden she “did not know what she had done” and did not want him near her. She later reported the allegation to her agency and a probe began.

Another care worker, Emma Rose, then came forward to report an incident between November 1 and December 31, 2013, and said she had felt too intimidated to report it at the time.

She said she saw Gahagan tapping the lady’s cheeks to wind her up, and tweaking her nose, which caused her to cry.

Jurors will retire today to consider their verdicts. (proceeding)