Care home nurses abused patients

Care home employees guilty of mistreatment

Three former employees of a nursing home at Bridgend in south Wales are facing prison sentences for the abuse of patients in their care.

At the end of a six week trial jury at Cardiff Crown court on Tuesday found the former nursing manager Isla Irving guilty of eight charges of ill treatment and one charge of wilful neglect.

These included neglecting the request of a resident to be taken to the toilet, rough handling and verbal abuse.

The general manager of the Blackmill care home, Karen Morrell ,was found guilty of willful neglect while another nurse Steffan Spedding pleaded guilty to six charges of ill treatment.

The trial took place at Cardiff Crown Court

The court heard that Isla Irving carried out prolongued, systematic and distressing abuse.

She gave one patient an overdose of sedative, and asked an unqualified assistant to give an injection.

The court heard of rough handling and taunting elderly and mentally ill patients.

Her boss Karen Morrell was found guilty of wilful neglect after the court heard an elderly man who had suffered two broken ribs was not taken to hospital for two days.

Morrell was acquitted of two other charges against her.

As the guilty verdicts were announced, Irving,27, and Morrell, 35, who are both from Aberkenfig, sobbed. Irving also looked visibly shook.

Released on bail

The jury had not been told another nurse Steffan Spedding had pleaded guilty to six charges of ill treatment at Blackmill.

Spedding, 28, from north Cornelly, is already serving a twelve month sentence for abuse at another home.

Sentencing was delayed until July 26 for reports to be prepared.

Both women were released on bail until then.

Spedding will be sentenced on July 27.

Any sentence he receives will be in addition to his current prison sentence.