Nurses sentenced over fit death

Two nurses who failed to help a woman during a fit lasting over two hours have received suspended jail terms.

Eileen Murphy, 36, died at a Walsall care home in March 2003.

At Stafford Crown Court, Harjinder Mangat, 58, was given a four-month suspended term and Bernadette Gerrard, 44, a six-month suspended sentence.

Mangat, from Sutton Coldfield, was found guilty of manslaughter by negligence. Gerrard, of Hednesford, Staffordshire, had admitted the charge.

Ms Murphy developed epilepsy at 18 months old and at the time of her death had also been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

'Left and left'

She had been living with her mother but had to move to the Richard House care home, in Aldridge, because of her mother's ill health.

Ms Manjat was deputy matron at the home at the time of Ms Murphy's death.

Gerrard and Mangat were told about Ms Murphy's fit but did not get help.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard in March that Manjat failed both to give Ms Murphy her medication or call an ambulance when she was having a fit which lasted up to two-and-a-half hours.

Other carers were said to have told the pair that Ms Murphy was "going blue".

The prosecution said she was just "left and left" until she died.

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