A CARE worker who bullied and abused dementia sufferers had a previous conviction for disorderly behaviour that her employees knew about, a court heard.

Jailing Pamela Wolfendale for 15 months, Judge Peter Davies described BUPA’s decision to employ her as a senior care assistant despite being aware that she had a conviction for disorderly behaviour in 2007 as 'astonishing.'

Wolfendale, who was in charge of a unit at Mill View nursing home, Great Lever, had shouted and sworn at residents, handled them roughly and behaved aggressively towards them.

The 54-year-old stood emotionless in the dock as Judge Davies told her that although there is no evidence that she had caused physical injury to the residents her behaviour was criminal. “The harm is not confined to physical injury but extends to the loss of dignity, the humiliation and the fear experienced by vulnerable old people entitled to live their final days in peace and safety and given consideration and kindness,” said Judge Davies.

Speaking after the sentencing, Karen Potter and Dawn Fisher, the daughters of one of Wolfendale’s victims, 67-year-old Eileen Smith, said they are planning to seek legal advice to get further answers from BUPA about their procedures for employing staff and operating the care home.

They say they have had no apology or letter of explanation from the company, although they add that more care seems to be being taken with the residents and communicating with relatives since Wolfendale’s crimes came to light.

Mrs Fisher said she was “disgusted” to learn that the home had knowingly employed someone with a criminal record for using threatening or abusive behaviour. "If they had got rid of her then, then my mum wouldn’t have been in that situation,” she said. “We had chosen a reputable home for mum because and we thought she was going to get the best care,” added Mrs Potter.

The sisters added that their mother, who was dragged to bed and threatened by Wolfendale, was frightened of the care worker, but is now happy and continues to live at the home, looked after by caring staff.

The care home did not respond to a request from The Bolton News for a comment on the decision to employ a carer with a criminal conviction.

It had taken a jury just an hour to find 54-year-old Wolfendale, of St Helen’s Road, Bolton, guilty of seven counts of ill treating six female residents in the Atlas unit at the home between 2012 and 2013.

Judge Davies was critical of the practices at the home which resulted in an inadequate monitoring of staff performance as well as whistle-blowing practices which were “not fit for purpose.”

“It is clear to me that you exploited this state of affairs. Your behaviour continued unabated and unchallenged and thus you were able to thrive confident you would not be discovered,” Judge Davies told Wolfendale.

The jury had heard how Wolfendale, who has been a care worker for 30 years, was first employed at the Bridgeman Street, Bolton, home in 2007 and then in 2011 was promoted to the role of senior care assistant in charge of junior staff and with responsibility for 30 residents in the Atlas unit.

The residents were all vulnerable, suffering from chronic dementia and Wolfendale was in charge of the unit from 8pm to 8am each night.

But rather than caring for the residents, Wolfendale was often irritated and angered by them and responded by bullying them.

“You preferred to do the bare minimum and did not like the distraction from your own routine which depended upon remaining undisturbed away from the residents and in your own office,” Judge Davies told Wolfendale.

Wolfendale pushed residents roughly out of the way and on one occasion frogmarched a woman to the showers and shoved her forcefully onto a chair, referring to her as a “dirty bastard.”

When one woman did not want to go to bed as Wolfendale demanded, she yanked a cup of tea from her hand, spilling it and dragged her to her bedroom.

Wolfendale was so keen to ensure she was not inconvenienced that she insisted residents get up at 5am despite protests from staff.

One woman in her late 70s was pulled out of bed and treated “like a rag doll” by Wolfendale, stripped naked with the door open and forced to dress.

Wolfendale’s bullying extended to junior staff whom she belittled when they questioned her behaviour.

Judge Davies told her: “You believed you were able to do as you pleased – there was no-one else in authority, the residents were unable to complain and the staff were frightened of reprisals if they protested.”

He added that she abused the trust of the residents and their families “in a gross fashion” and has shown no remorse or regret for what she did.

A spokesperson for the home said in a statement: “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.”