Keralite healthcare worker jailed after caught on camera abusing elderly patient in Exeter

DEVON March 17: A Keralite care worker has been jailed for 12 months after being caught on film physically abusing an elderly patient, Devon & Cornwall Police reported.

Jinu Shaji, aged 26, of Russet Avenue, Exeter, was convicted of ill-treatment at Exeter Magistrates’ Court on 21 December 2023 and sentenced on March 8,2024 at Exeter Crown Court.

The victim, a 94-year-old man who was partially-sighted and had limited physical mobility, was a resident at Langford Park nursing home in Devon.

In July 2023, his family installed a camera and recorded the abuse following concerns they had after noticing bruising on the victim’s leg.

The incident was captured on a spy camera installed by relatives of the resident who had raised concerns with management about bruises on his legs. On camera it was found he pushed the vulnerable man’s legs backwards over his head causing excruciating pain. He ignored the man’s cries of pain and pleas to stop and held him in position for four minutes.

The harrowing footage showed the man being handled roughly and being treated with a lack of dignity and respect.

The family immediately reported this to the care home manager and Shaji was suspended.

After being confronted about his actions Shaji, aged 26, fled to his native India and stayed there for three months. He was arrested when he returned to the UK and has been jailed for one year at Exeter Crown Court. The home has since been sold and now operates under new ownership.

Three other care workers, who were employed by an agency, were reported, and told not to return to the home with immediate effect.

Following contact with the police, an investigation was launched and all four were arrested.

Shaji was later charged with ill-treatment by a care worker and appeared at Exeter Magistrates’ Court on 21 December 2023. His three co-workers received police cautions for ill-treatment/neglect by a care worker.

Detective Inspector Charlotte Heath said: “This was an extremely upsetting case which showed distressing footage of the victim being roughly handled by those who should have been caring for him.

“We welcome the outcome today and hope that the family can find comfort in justice being served.”

The family of the victim, who has since died, read a moving statement to the court in which they said seeing and hearing the treatment he had suffered had left them traumatised. His granddaughter said: “The sound of grandfather pleading in pain will stay with me forever.”

She added: “Our elderly and vulnerable people deserve better than Langford Park. The honest carers deserve better than Langford Park. My grandfather in the final weeks of his life deserved better than Langford Park.”

Prosecutor Miss Emily Pitts said in July of last year the granddaughter of the victim called and spoke to the nursing home about extensive bruising to his thigh. Caring staff reassured her that safeguarding was in place and the home had every faith in its staff.

They agreed to allow the family to install a spy camera in the room. It wasn’t hidden and could be seen by anyone entering the room.

The granddaughter was so anxious that she woke in the night and logged on to the app. She saw two carers entering the room and changing his pad. Shaji was seen lifting the man legs over his head as he lay in bed. When the elderly man cried out in pain saying “You’re breaking my legs,” he ignored him.

His ill-treatment also included dropping the man’s legs down, the force causing him to hit his head on the wall.

Another clip showed a similar procedure during which Shaji applied even rougher treatment and held the man legs over his head for four minutes while a colleague changed his pad.

His granddaughter said: “Sadly my grandfather’s voice will never be heard in this courtroom,” she said. “The absence of his voice rendered him vulnerable to the kind of abuse no person should have to tolerate.”

“Those that harm the vulnerable are the cruellest of abusers.” She said the family had not installed the cameras thinking he was being abused and were traumatised by the sight of younger men treating their elderly relative so harshly.

She said most of the staff at Langford Park appeared to be hard working people but his treatment at the home must have “hastened his demise” a couple of months later, although there was no direct medical link.

“No one should have to spend their final days in fear of violence when cries for help can never be heard,” said his granddaughter.

Shaji, of Russet Avenue, Exeter, is a man of previous good character. He pleaded guilty to an offence of ill-treatment while a carer. Miss Felicity Payne, defending, said he is ashamed of his actions. He has worked in the care industry for several years and at the time was under pressure due to the shift patterns but didn’t feel able to raise issues because of fears about his work visa status. – Courtesy Devon Police and Devon Live