Carer Punched OAP, 82, In Face

A care worker at an OAP home punched a dementia-suffering resident in the face, inflicting a bleeding cut to his cheek.

Velma Lahai, 23, was employed at The Pines Care Home, West Hill, Putney, where a colleague witnessed her landing the early-morning blow on the vulnerable resident, who is also bipolar.

She was convicted of ill-treating the resident during an early-morning wake-up on December 18, last year.

Lahai of Sprewell House, Lytton Grove, Putney was sentenced to six weeks imprisonment, suspended for twelve months and ordered to complete 200 hours community service work.

She must also comply with a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to twenty days and pay £200 compensation to the victim and £100 costs.

Wimbledon Magistrates Court heard resident Jeremy Kemp, 82, is unable to look after himself and needs help changing his clothing and cleaning himself.

When Lahai and a colleague entered his room at 6am they found he was covered in his own urine.

The defendant was heard asking him: “Why did you kick me in the eye?” and punched him in the face.

Mr. Kemp immediately put his hands up to his face and blood started pouring from a wound to his cheek, which healed after two days.

He did not require hospital treatment and was cared for on site, with the wound being cleaned and dressed.

Lahai complained Mr. Kemp flicked faeces and urine into her eye and said the injury was nothing more than a 1.5cm scratch to the cheek, which quickly healed.

The victim was described in court as “extremely vulnerable” and was not able to give an account to the police or attend the trial.