Disturbing footage shows the ‘sickening’ abuse a carer inflicted on an elderly woman with dementia.
Jenny Dady, 29, has been jailed after CCTV caught the carer pulling 69-year-old Liz Young’s hair, pushing her knuckles into the victim’s face and forcing her to eat.
On one occasion Liz, who suffered with severe dementia and had limited mobility, was left sitting naked with wet hair in a wheelchair chair for 30 minutes after a shower, with only a towel on her lap.
During one visit, Dady brought her dog which scratched Liz causing deep cuts to her legs, while further footage shows the carer verbally abusing the vulnerable mother.
Dady, of Norwich, was sentenced to six months in jail after pleading guilty at Norwich Crown Court to ill-treatment or neglect of a person who lacks capacity.
Footage of the incidents, released by Norfolk Police, left daughter Corrina Cunningham feeling ‘physically sick’.
Liz passed away during the police investigation into Dady’s offences, which Corrina said made the abuse her mum suffered during the last year of her life ‘so much harder’ to cope with.
Corrina, who had been living with her mum in Barford, Norfolk, said: ‘I was mortified when I found out this had been happening.
‘I found it really difficult to watch the footage, it made me feel physically sick.
‘I felt guilty for not being able to protect her when she needed it and that this had happened under our own roof.
‘We trusted Jenny and thought she genuinely cared for mum but she betrayed this trust in the worst possible way.’
Corrina said she first became concerned about her mother in the summer of 2019, after noticing minor injuries on Liz, including bruising and blisters.
They began recording footage on a CCTV camera which was already in Liz’s room, and openly visible to anyone entering.
Norwich Crown Court heard that in November 2019, Liz’s family viewed the CCTV footage and it became apparent that Dady had been mistreating the vulnerable mother. The police then became involved.
Corrina added: ‘I’m glad we acted on our concerns and got the camera and I would encourage anyone in a similar position to do the same.
‘I couldn’t bear the thought of Jenny being in a position to care for other people’s loved ones and abuse them in the way she did my mum.’
Detective Constable Gemma Weeks said: ‘Dady was in a position of trust and left to care for an extremely vulnerable woman who had no means of protecting herself or raising the alarm to relatives.
‘She abused this trust, treating Liz with little care, handling her roughly by pushing and pulling her.
‘On one occasion after a shower, Liz was left for almost 30 minutes in her wheelchair with wet hair and just a towel covering her lap.
‘Many incidents were captured on CCTV which makes for very unpleasant viewing.
‘No one would want their loved ones treated in this way, particularly those who are vulnerable and have limited capacity.
‘That is why it’s important we seek justice in these cases for the victims and their families.’
Dady was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £122.