Legal News

A care home worker who was filmed abusing a 92-year-old dementia patient who was entirely dependent on her has been jailed for four months at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

The Romford Recorder reports that Faderera Grace Bello, aged 54, of Southern Way in Romford, Essex was videoed telling the elderly dementia patient to “Shut up” – and was also filmed poking and “manhandling” her.

At the time of the offence, Bello worked as a staff nurse at a care home in Nuttall Street, Shoreditch, east London.

The patient she abused – 92-year-old Bridget Rees – was a resident at the care home, but in October 2013, Mrs Rees’ daughter Veronica Davis noticed bruising to her mother’s arms.

After alerting the manager of the nursing home, Mrs Davis was told that the bruises were “most likely” caused by the medication her elderly mother was being given.

However, Mrs Davis and her family bought a video camera and secretly installed it in her mother’s room.

Viewing the subsequent footage, it was discovered that on 6 December, Bello had physically abused Mrs Rees, including poking her in the head and face, handling her in an unnecessarily rough manner – and also repeatedly telling the elderly dementia patient to “Shut up”.

The family showed the video footage to the care home’s management team. Bello was immediately suspended and an investigation was launched, with police officers at Hackney’s Community Safety Unit also being informed of the investigation.

On 30 January, Bello was dismissed by Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust with immediate effect, on the grounds of gross misconduct. Her dismissal was also referred to the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

She was subsequently arrested on 6 February on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm to Bridget Rees.

On Wednesday, 25 June at Thames Magistrates’ Court, Bello pleaded guilty to the charge of carer ill treatment/wilful neglect of a person without capacity, in breach of Section 44 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

On Wednesday (09/07/14) she was sentenced to four months in jail.

After the hearing, the family of Mrs Rees said:

“This should never have happened and we fully support any moves to install CCTV in nursing/care homes in the UK.
“Although the family are very disappointed with the sentence given out today, we are pleased that this matter has been investigated fully by the police and brought to the Crown Court.”
Detective Inspector Ian Fleming from Hackney’s Community Safety Unit added:
“The prison sentenced imposed on Grace Bello today concludes an investigation that was brought to the attention of Hackney Borough Police by family members of the victim.
“It was diligently and sensitively investigated by Detective Constable Cat Mason from the Community Safety Unit, with the full support of the victim’s relatives and the Homerton Trust.
“The MPS [Metropolitan Police Service] are committed to safeguarding adults in our community and will continue our partnership approach to seek such positive outcomes.”

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