Retrial for carer over 'assaults'

Betty Sunderland, 80, who lived at Cullingworth, had toilet paper forced into her mouth and was beaten with a metal ruler, a jury heard.

Mrs Sunderland was left frightened and bruised by the assaults allegedly carried out by Jacqueline Wright, a carer with Keighley-based Dalesway Nursing Services.

Wright, 43, of Vicarage Place, Barnoldswick, has denied two charges of assault causing actual bodily harm.

At Doncaster Crown Court yesterday the jury was told it was sitting at a re-trial.

Prosecuting barrister Andrea Addlema told the court that Wright had been part of a round-the-clock team caring for Miss Sunderland in her own home.

Miss Sunderland, who suffered Parkinson's Disease, had complained she had had toilet paper forced into her mouth and throat and had been hit with what she described as a metal ruler. She also said she had had a scarf tied round her mouth and nose.

Miss Sunderland, who died last year of natural causes unrelated to the alleged assaults, had told police that Wright said: "I'm known as the cruellest nurse at Dalesway."

Telling the jury about the toilet paper incident, Miss Addleman said: "As a result of that incident Miss Sunderland was very frightened.

"She thought she was going to choke. It was potentially a life- threatening situation."

The alleged assault happened in March 1997.

The court heard that daily records kept by the carers in Miss Sunderland's home for the dates February 21 to March 7 in that year had gone missing and had never been found.

Wright had denied all the allegations in interviews with police, saying the mouth injuries had been caused by fish bones.

Kathleen Burnside, a care assistant who had looked after Miss Sunderland, told the court that the elderly woman had good days and bad days .

She said she was sometimes frustrating to care for, but was mentally lucid most of the time.

The trial continues.

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