Two ‘cruel’ care workers attacked a 95-year-old blind woman and threatened to ‘break every bone her in her body’ when she complained.
Pedro Dias, 21, and Piotre Ciecielowski, 26, verbally abused their wheelchair-bound victim as she got ready for bed at Prestbury House Care Home in Macclesfield.
The pair ‘forcibly and unceremoniously’ dumped the pensioner onto her bed and then threatened to ‘kill’ her when she complained.
Pedro Dias, 21, and Piotre Ciecielowski, 26, verbally abused a 95-year-old blind woman they were caring for as she got ready for bed at Prestbury House Care Home in Macclesfield
The shocking incident was captured on secret CCTV cameras installed by the victim’s daughter after she became concerned about her mother’s unexplained injuries.
Despite the horrific treatment, Dias and Ciecielowski, both from Macclesfield, avoided jail and were handed a nine-month suspended sentence at Chester Crown Court.
During the abuse on March 31, Portuguese national Dias physically slapped the woman across the face causing her to yelp in pain, the court heard.
Polish Ciecielowski, failed to stop his colleague or report the behaviour and branded the victim a ‘silly b****’.
In the footage captured by the woman’s loved ones, the distressed victim is heard repeatedly crying and pleading to God for help.
As well as their suspended sentence, Dias and Ciecielowski were ordered to complete 250 hours unpaid work. They must both pay the victim £250 compensation.
Sentencing, Judge Simon Berkson said the defendants’ behaviour had ‘degraded’ the victim and was ‘cruel and anything but caring’.
He said: ‘She was verbally abused by both of you. She was slapped in the face by you Dias.
The pair ‘forcibly and unceremoniously’ dumped the pensioner onto her bed at Prestbury House (pictured) and then threatened to ‘kill’ her when she complained
‘Ciecielowski you did not stop it, report it and appeared unconcerned. She was clearly distressed and crying.
‘She should have been cared for not ill-treated. Her daughter should have been happy someone was caring for her, not suspicious.
‘She was a challenging patient. Matters have been raised about the care home but this is no excuse for your behaviour.
‘You will no longer be able to work in the care industry and rightly so.’
The incident prompted an unannounced inspection by the Care Quality Commission, which found Prestbury House to be ‘inadequate’, the court heard.
Problems with staffing, training and management at the home contributed to Dias and Ciecielowski’s offending, the court was told.
Both men claimed their initial training consisted of watching a series of DVDs then answering questions, which they never received feedback on.
After a year of working at the care home, Dias claimed he was moved to deal with residents with ‘challenging behaviour’.
Despite the horrific treatment, Dias and Ciecielowski, both from Macclesfield, avoided jail and were handed a nine-month suspended sentence at Chester Crown Court
But he felt ‘out of his depth’ and wrote to managers to say he was not coping.
Terry Sharpe, defending Dias, said: ‘He was given another DVD to watch. He also claims he was being bullied.
‘There was a gradual build up to the incident and on the night in question he and his co-defendant had to put 23 residents, including nine in the ”challenging behaviour” ward, to bed on their own. It was too much.
‘When Mr Dias saw that footage he described himself as a ”monster”. That position remains.’
Julian Farley, defending Ciecielowski, said his client was ‘appalled’ by the footage and apologises to the victim and her family.
The daughter of the elderly victim said she cried out in horror when she first saw the footage recorded on the secret camera.
Discussing why she installed the CCTV, she said: ‘I was worried mum wasn’t getting the right care. She had bruises on her wrists and I didn’t feel my concerns were being listened to.
‘When I looked at the footage I wasn’t expecting to see that. I cried out in horror. I had to stop watching. I couldn’t bear it.’
She said she is outraged that Dias and Ciecielowski were not jailed.
‘What does that sentence say about how we care for the elderly in our society, when two large men can treat a 95-year-old blind woman like that, but can walk free from court?
‘She was walloped out of nowhere and wouldn’t have seen it coming. It breaks my heart’, she fumed.
Following the case, a spokesperson for the care home said bosses were ‘shocked and appalled’ by the actions of their staff.
He added: ‘Their behaviour went against everything we stand for as an organisation.
‘We have fully supported the police investigation and the successful prosecution of the two offenders, who we are pleased will now be prevented from working in a care setting again. ‘