Coventry carer fined for slapping 90-year-old patient

A Coventry care worker who slapped a 90-year-old dementia patient in her hospital bed has been fined £400.



Lynne Wrigley, of Shirley Road, Walsgrave, was changing bed sheets when she smacked the elderly woman at the city’s University Hospital on Sunday, June 6, last year.

The 51-year-old was responsible for patients on the renal ward, where she has worked for 14 years.

She was found guilty of common assault at Coventry Magistrates Court yesterday.

Finuala Sheridan, prosecuting, said the elderly woman had kicked the defendant in the stomach while she was changing her bedding and Wrigley retaliated by slapping her on the leg.

Mrs Sheridan said: “It would seem that two support workers, Mary Allen and Lynne Wrigley, were changing bedding and while doing that the patient had kicked out and made contact with Wrigley in the stomach.

“After a moment the defendant stepped forward and slapped the victim on the lower leg, saying something to the effect of ‘Don’t kick me’. This was not an accident but a deliberate act.

“The sound of the slap was sufficiently loud to draw attention of a nurse and ward manager, who was further away but with her door open.”

“The victim is vulnerable. She did strike out at the time but that is because of dementia and staff were aware of those difficulties, but retaliating, however, is not a reasonable excuse in order to strike someone.”