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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| Care home trio guilty of neglect | Care home trio guilty of neglect |
| (about 16 hours later) | |
| Three care home workers have been found guilty of wilfully neglecting a patient and each given a conditional discharge. | Three care home workers have been found guilty of wilfully neglecting a patient and each given a conditional discharge. |
| Alan Sayers, 52, who had dementia, died at the Mountleigh care home, Newbridge, Caerphilly, in September 2004. | Alan Sayers, 52, who had dementia, died at the Mountleigh care home, Newbridge, Caerphilly, in September 2004. |
| But sentencing the three at Newport Crown Court, a judge said the situation was "a million miles away" from one involving deliberate ill treatment. | But sentencing the three at Newport Crown Court, a judge said the situation was "a million miles away" from one involving deliberate ill treatment. |
| Mr Sayers' family said the verdicts brought a closure so they could start "to pick up the pieces of our lives". | Mr Sayers' family said the verdicts brought a closure so they could start "to pick up the pieces of our lives". |
| A jury found Musediq Salisu, 47, of Newport, Rosslyn Jenkins, 54, of Newbridge, and Edna Evans, 56, of Llanbradach, all guilty. | A jury found Musediq Salisu, 47, of Newport, Rosslyn Jenkins, 54, of Newbridge, and Edna Evans, 56, of Llanbradach, all guilty. |
| Dr Sushma Ojha, of Bargoed, was found guilty of making a false representation for a cremation and fined £2,000. | Dr Sushma Ojha, of Bargoed, was found guilty of making a false representation for a cremation and fined £2,000. |
| The 55-year-old was Mr Sayers' local GP and had earlier been cleared of obtaining property by deception by the court. | The 55-year-old was Mr Sayers' local GP and had earlier been cleared of obtaining property by deception by the court. |
| Meanwhile, the home's general manager Dawn Harris, 52, of Newport, and carer Chengeta Kaziboni, 34, of Cardiff, were cleared. | Meanwhile, the home's general manager Dawn Harris, 52, of Newport, and carer Chengeta Kaziboni, 34, of Cardiff, were cleared. |
| The court had previously heard that Mr Sayers was a danger to himself and other patients and should have had one-to-one, round-the-clock care. We now have some form of closure and we can now begin to pick up the pieces of our lives Family of Alan Sayers | The court had previously heard that Mr Sayers was a danger to himself and other patients and should have had one-to-one, round-the-clock care. We now have some form of closure and we can now begin to pick up the pieces of our lives Family of Alan Sayers |
| He suffered from a form of dementia which changed his personality and led to a consequent failure of him caring for himself. | He suffered from a form of dementia which changed his personality and led to a consequent failure of him caring for himself. |
| The prosecution said he had been left alone in the hours before his death, contravening his care regime. | The prosecution said he had been left alone in the hours before his death, contravening his care regime. |
| The judge previously ruled there was no case to answer against care workers Michael Lurvey, 54, and Margaret Lewis, 60, with not guilty verdicts recorded against them. | The judge previously ruled there was no case to answer against care workers Michael Lurvey, 54, and Margaret Lewis, 60, with not guilty verdicts recorded against them. |
| Stephen Dent, barrister for Jenkins, said: "This was a new system and had only been in place for two weeks." | Stephen Dent, barrister for Jenkins, said: "This was a new system and had only been in place for two weeks." |
| Mr Dent said it was clear from the evidence that staff supposedly providing one-to-one care for Mr Sayers were frequently being pulled off their duty on the orders of a qualified nurse. | Mr Dent said it was clear from the evidence that staff supposedly providing one-to-one care for Mr Sayers were frequently being pulled off their duty on the orders of a qualified nurse. |
| He added: "The last three years have been very significant punishment for her and I would ask your honour to bear that in mind." | He added: "The last three years have been very significant punishment for her and I would ask your honour to bear that in mind." |
| 'Devastating blow' | 'Devastating blow' |
| Ieuan Rees, for Salisu, said his client would now face a nursing and midwifery council disciplinary proceedings but hoped to be allowed stay in the country with his four dependent sons. | |
| He added: "As you can appreciate, this is a devastating blow." | He added: "As you can appreciate, this is a devastating blow." |
| Mike Jones, for Evans, said his client had a 30-year unblemished career in nursing and now planned to move to Ireland. | |
| Nick Gedge, for Ojha, said his client would now have to go before a General Medical Council panel. | |
| "I would urge your honour to bear that in mind as the likely sentence in that environment may be very serious indeed," said Mr Gedge. | "I would urge your honour to bear that in mind as the likely sentence in that environment may be very serious indeed," said Mr Gedge. |
| Judge Roderick Denyer QC said: "Where a carer or a nurse deliberately ill-treats a patient by physically harming them, by not feeding them, by not changing them, by not turning them, I will take and do take a very serious view of that. | Judge Roderick Denyer QC said: "Where a carer or a nurse deliberately ill-treats a patient by physically harming them, by not feeding them, by not changing them, by not turning them, I will take and do take a very serious view of that. |
| "But in respect of Ms Jenkins, Mr Salisu and Ms Evans, your situation is a million miles away from the one I have just referred to." | "But in respect of Ms Jenkins, Mr Salisu and Ms Evans, your situation is a million miles away from the one I have just referred to." |
| 'Important job' | 'Important job' |
| In respect of Ojha, Judge Denyer told her had she been convicted of deception, he would have considered a prison sentence. | In respect of Ojha, Judge Denyer told her had she been convicted of deception, he would have considered a prison sentence. |
| He added: "I bear in mind clearly you and your husband are dedicated GPs working in a deprived area with inadequate facilities and I very much bear that in mind. | |
| "I also bear in mind that a significant number of GPs are not fully aware of the Cremation Act and the filling in of cremation certificates. Nevertheless it is a very important job." | "I also bear in mind that a significant number of GPs are not fully aware of the Cremation Act and the filling in of cremation certificates. Nevertheless it is a very important job." |
| Following the end of the trial, Mr Sayers family issued a statement explaining how the verdicts would help them come to terms with their loss. | Following the end of the trial, Mr Sayers family issued a statement explaining how the verdicts would help them come to terms with their loss. |
| "It has been a difficult time for the family without proper closure," said the family. | "It has been a difficult time for the family without proper closure," said the family. |
| "We now have some form of closure and we can now begin to pick up the pieces of our lives." | "We now have some form of closure and we can now begin to pick up the pieces of our lives." |
| Gwent Police added: "Our thoughts remain with the family of Alan Sayers at this time, for whom this has been a long and very difficult enquiry and we hope the conclusion of the case today brings them some closure." |