A residential care home employee, who viciously punched an 86 year-old dementia sufferer – cutting and blackening the man’s eye – dodged prison with a suspended sentence today.
Shashikant Valand, 52, of Meadowbank Road, Kingsbury lost his temper and struck the victim in front of fellow-employees, who reported him to police.
The first-time offender pleaded guilty to assaulting Albert Drinkwater, causing actual bodily harm, at Woodland Hall, Clamp Hill, Stanmore (pictured) on June 15, last year.
Harrow Crown Court Recorder Gordon Reed told Valand: “You were working in a care home and the victim was an eighty-six year-old resident with dementia.
“He was removing his clothes, he was being difficult and it required more than one member of staff to deal with him.
“That is a sad consequence of people suffering with this condition and he did offer some physical violence to you.
“You then lost your cool and hit him and he suffered a cut and bruising around the eye. I have seen the photographs taken three days later and it is a nasty black eye.
“I accept you are a hard working family man and what you did that day was out of character,” added Recorder Reed. “The prospect of you re-offending is unlikely.
“However, the victim was particularly vulnerable due to his personal circumstances and he was someone dependent on others, including you, and that increases the seriousness of the case significantly.
“He would have suffered pain and distress as a result of your actions and you may consider yourself fortunate that I suspended the sentence. It was not an easy decision.”
Valand has been suspended on full pay of £772 per month and it is expected his employment will be terminated.
He has a background in engineering, but after losing his job in 2009 began working at the care home, where his wife was already employed.
Valand was sentenced to twenty-six weeks imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months, and ordered to complete 120 hours community service.
He was also ordered to pay £250 compensation to Mr. Drinkwater and £350 costs and has already paid legal costs of £4,000.
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