A CALLOUS care worker who mistreated vulnerable dementia sufferers at a home has been warned she faces jail.

It took a jury of nine women and three men at Bolton Crown Court just over an hour to find Pamela Wolfendale guilty of abusing the women at Mill View nursing home following a five day trial.

"You have to expect a custodial sentence," Judge Peter Davies told Wolfendale, adding that he had serious concerns about how the Bupa run home in Bridgeman Street, Bolton, operated.

Describing the home's systems as "peculiar" he added that care assistants, who were keen to do their jobs properly, were not encouraged by senior staff and management to be caring towards the residents.

"I tell you now, I wouldn't want to send my relative there," said the Judge.

Wolfendale's sentence hearing has been set for October 9 and Judge Davies said he will be demanding answers from Bupa about their procedures and whether they knew Wolfendale had a previous conviction for disorderly behaviour in 2007, the same year they began employing her as a carer at the home.

Judge Davies told Wolfendale: "You have been responsible for a course of conduct over a considerable period of time which is meanness towards old people. It is about belittling and bullying and abuse of trust."

During the trial the jury had heard how Wolfendale, aged 54, of St Helen's Road, Bolton, had shouted and verbally abused residents at the the home, pushed them and roughly handled them during night shifts where she was working as a senior carer.

But care assistants at the home finally blew the whistle on her abusive behaviour and she was suspended in November 2013.

The family of one of her victims, 66-year-old Eileen Smith was in court for the trial and welcomed the judge's comments.

The jury had heard how Wolfendale had grabbed a cup of tea from Mrs Smith, spilling it over her because she wanted her to go to bed and then dragged her to her bedroom.

Mrs Smith's daughter Karen Potter said she was horrified when she learnt what had happened to her mum.

"I felt sick and shocked. It shouldn't have happened," she said.

"You trust the home and expect your relative to have the best care and staff to treat them as they would their own family."

She added that her mum is sweet natured and had never been subject to violence or aggression in her life.

"Every time we visited my mum she would say 'I try to be good'. We knew she was scared of something," said Mrs Potter, from Stoneclough.

However, she added that her mother became more settled at the home, where she still lives, after Wolfendale was suspended and she moved rooms.

"As for the rest of the staff, I can't wait to speak to them and thank them for coming forward," she said.

"But for them it would still be going on. People should feel more confident about whistleblowing."

Wolfendale stood stony faced in the dock as the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts to seven counts of ill-treatment or neglect of a person who lacks capacity.

She was granted bail until her sentence hearing on condition that she lives at an address in Lancaster and does not approach the Mill View home or staff.

She will also be barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.

"You won't work in a care home again," Judge Davies told her.

Responding to the judge's criticism a spokesman for Bupa said: “Everyone at the home is deeply shocked by the deplorable behaviour of this experienced care assistant. We cannot understand how someone who has chosen to work with frail and vulnerable people could have behaved in such a way.

“The actions of this individual two years ago in 2013 do not reflect the home or the committed people who work here.

“Our people used our whistle-blowing system to raise concerns and we acted immediately, by suspending her and calling in the police.

“We’re very sorry this happened but we always put our residents’ wellbeing first. We want to ensure anyone acting like this can never work with vulnerable people again.

“A routine inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated the home as good, confirming that the home is meeting all regulatory requirements.”