Care home workers subjected a frail 90-year-old war veteran to ”agonising” ‘Chinese burns’ punishment after he declined to eat food they had served him, a court heard today.
Albert Newitt, who served in the RAF during the Second World War, claims he was abused just three days after arriving at Etheldred House in Histon, Cambridge.
Dementia sufferer Albert was punished by carers Carole Mills, 56, and Wayne Blake, 24, after he refused to eat an evening meal, the court heard.
Blake, who is South African, allegedly grabbed Albert’s right hand and boasted to Mills that he was the ”kingpin” at giving Chinese burns.
He then encouraged Mills to grab Albert’s other hand before the pair carried out a cruel double Chinese burn – leaving him with ”blood-red” bruising.
Blake, of Cambridge, and Mills, of Milton, Cambs., both denied ill treatment relating to the Chinese burns at Peterborough Crown Court.
Albert was unable to attend court on Monday due to ill health, but his police interview, given in February last year, was played to the court.
He said: ”This young South African said he was a kingpin at taking hold of people’s arms and twisting them.
”He said he was prepared to bash me if I didn’t get on with eating my dinner. He got hold of my right hand and she got hold of my left. They got them and twisted them.
”He was giving her all the instructions and showing her how to give one properly – a Chinese burn. It was agony. My hands were blood-red.”
The incident allegedly occurred on January 27 last year after Albert refused to eat his dinner.
Peterborough Crown Court heard Albert pressed the emergency red button in his room as soon as Mills and Blake released his hands from their grip.
Other members of staff at the care home came to his assistance and Albert told how Mills and Blake were ”ushered” out of the room.
He added: ”I told the staff who came up I didn’t want them in my room and I never saw them again.”
The court heard that concerned workers at the home launched an investigation that evening after Albert’s family saw his bruises.
Social services and officers from Cambridgeshire Constabulary were called in to assist with the investigations on January 28.
Mills, from Milton, Cambridge, and Blake, from Cambridge, both deny one charge of ill treatment under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 in relation to the incident.
She also denies a further count of ill treatment for an incident on the morning of 27 January 2009 where Mills allegedly restrained Albert in an aggressive manner.
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