A care home boss left an elderly woman on the floor screaming in pain while he watched television, a hearing has been told.
John Charters faces 14 charges relating to an eight-month period at Grandview House Care Home in Grantown, where he was the deputy manager.
The allegations he faces include that he refused a pensioner pain relief because she was “there to die anyway”, slapped an OAP on the bottom and kicked a frail woman’s legs to make her sit down.
The Nairn man could be struck off if the Nursing and Midwifery Council find his fitness to practice is impaired.
But yesterday, his hearing was dramatically adjourned after the BBC incorrectly reported he had already been struck off.
His defence team argued the story may influence witnesses, and asked for an adjournment to enable him to gauge the impact of the report.
Before the issue arose, witness Kathleen Girvan – a care assistant at the home at the time – told the NMC panel about an incident involving a frail elderly lady, known only as Resident 11, who had fallen over in reception at home.
She said: “The resident had fallen and was screaming in pain. Mr Charters completed his observations and called an ambulance, then went and sat in the main lounge.
“I went and made sure she was comfortable by placing a pillow under her head. Mr Charters had disappeared – when I asked another carer where he was they told me he was watching television.”
It is alleged Mr Charters did not ensure Resident 11’s “dignity was maintained” after she fell, in that he failed to ensure a screen was placed around her and did not move other residents away.
Mrs Girvan also detailed a time when Mr Charters was helping her change the catheter for an elderly female suffering from dementia.
It is alleged that while performing the procedure, Mr Charters slapped the resident on her bare bottom and said: “I’ll be your Samson if you be my Delilah”.
Mrs Girvan stated that the resident was “distraught” at what had happened and burst into tears once Mr Charters had left the room.
She described another time when Mr Charters allegedly forced an old lady to sit down when she was taking too long.
“He kicked her legs out from underneath her with such force that it made her sit down,” Mrs Girvan said.
“She had reduced mobility and it really hurt her to sit down, which was why she had been taking her time.”
The care assistant also alleged in her witness statement that Mr Charters allegedly refused to let a pensioner go to bed, despite his discomfort at being in a wheelchair all day. It is claimed he continued to ignore the man’s cries for help, despite him “pleading with his hands clasped” to be taken to his room.
Mr Charters also faces a charge that he refused to give medicine to a resident who had asked for pain relief.
It is alleged he told a colleague the pensioner she was “there to die anyway”.
But Liam Ewing, representing Mr Charters, put it to Mrs Girvan that the claims were “simply not true” and that she had “made them up”.
He said: “Staff were given the opportunity to get rid of Mr Charters and you exaggerated and made up incidents.
“At the time maybe you didn’t think you would end up in front of a panel.”
At several points during the evidence, Mr Charters could be seen shaking his head, and his lawyer on several occasions placed a hand on his client’s arm in an apparent bid to prevent him speaking.
Mr Charters was sacked from his job at the home in July 2014 after staff held a meeting to discuss their concerns over his alleged behaviour.
It was also mentioned at the hearing that he was “unpopular” with several members of staff due to his “rude and arrogant behaviour”. The charges relate to a period between November 2013 and July 2014.