CARE WORKER SPARED JAIL IN THE UK AFTER CCTV REVEALS ABUSE OF ELDERLY CLIENT
Bilikesu Olagunju, a care worker, received a suspended prison sentence after disturbing CCTV footage surfaced showing her repeatedly mistreating an elderly man in her care just days before his death.Olagunju, who recently began employment with Unique Personnel UK, was responsible for caring for 88-year-old John Attard, a great-grandfather residing in Bexley, Kent.
On Christmas Eve 2022, the hidden cameras recorded her shouting at Attard, forcibly dragging him across the floor, and issuing threats of violence.
The footage, placed by Attard’s son Chris following concerns about his father's condition, also depicted the care worker berating the elderly man to stand up while she struggled with dressing him.
At one point, Attard, suffering from dementia and diabetes, could be heard pleading, saying, “you’re hurting me.” During a 45-minute visit documented on the footage, Attard’s family believed he endured trauma from which he never recovered.
Disturbing scenes also showed Olagunju pulling away his table, preventing him from accessing his breakfast, and spilling hot coffee on him.
She was also seen squeezing a plastic marmalade sachet into his drink while continuing to threaten him.
Chris Attard discovered the distressing scene on Christmas morning, finding his father unresponsive with blood on his face.
Though a post-mortem could not directly connect the abuse to Attard’s death later that week, his son told Woolwich Crown Court that he believed the trauma contributed to his father’s decline.
Olagunju, who admitted to a single charge of ill-treatment or wilful neglect of an individual while acting as a care worker, was sentenced to six weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months.
She was also ordered to undertake 50 hours of unpaid community service.
Judge Charlotte Welsh criticised the abuse as “a complete failure to treat Mr Attard with the dignity and respect he deserved,” but noted that Olagunju had shown remorse and had no prior convictions.
She also expressed concern over the inadequate training provided to her, questioning why an inexperienced carer was assigned to a dementia patient on her first shift.
“Being a carer is an incredibly demanding role, and unfortunately, many do not realize this until they are in need of one,” Judge Welsh stated.
Although she pleaded guilty, Chris Attard called the sentence “an insult,” asserting it did not match the gravity of the harm caused to his father.
John Attard leaves behind five children, 11 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
His family has been left devastated by his death and the betrayal of their trust during his final days.
