Braintree care home abuse: Workers jailed after TV investigation

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Adeshola Adediwura, Anita Ray, Lorna ClarkImage source, Essex Police
Image caption,
(l-r) Adeshola Adediwura, Anita Ray and Lorna Clark "acted despicably", Essex Police said

Three care workers have each been jailed for four months for assaulting an elderly woman in a residential home.

The workers were charged after a BBC Panorama investigation into the Old Deanery care home near Braintree, Essex.

Adeshola Adediwura, 33, Lorna Clark, 45, and Anita Ray, 47, each admitted one charge, at Chelmsford Crown Court.

The television programme, broadcast in April 2014, showed an elderly woman with dementia being slapped and goaded.

Image caption,
The abuse took place at the Old Deanery care home in Braintree
Image source, Family photo
Image caption,
Gillian Lee (right) said "anguish and pain" had been inflicted on her mother Joan Maddison (left)

Essex Police started the investigation after detectives saw the programme.

The victim was Joan Maddison, 84, who had dementia, cancer, diabetes and was partially paralysed.

Her daughter, Gillian Lee, said: "The anguish and pain inflicted on my mum, our family and all those other dear people is incalculable.

"To anyone working in the system or in the industry, the clue is in the title 'care'. If you can't or don't - get out.

"I personally cannot thank the Panorama team and the police enough for what they have done to stop these people from ever working in care again."

'Acted despicably'

Det Ch Insp Stephen Jennings said: "I am pleased that the residents and their families have now had some recompense for the sickening actions of these three women.

"Their families placed their elderly relatives in care thinking that they would be well looked after and these three clearly breached their trust and acted despicably."

The defendants all had addresses in Braintree; Adediwura in Clockhouse Way, Clark in Hammond Place; and Ray in Victoria Street.

In April 2014 the Old Deanery's owner Anglia Retirement Homes said managers were "shocked and saddened by allegations made by the BBC's Panorama programme of inappropriate behaviour by some members of staff".

The home is now called the New Deanery Care Home and is owned by Sonnet Care Homes.

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