Agency worker acquitted of ill-treatment of centenarian

Giving evidence during his trial at Ipswich Crown Court, Kristiyan Krumov, who was working at Stowlangtoft Hall nursing home, said he hadn’t touched the woman’s face and had tried to quieten her by putting his finger to his mouth and saying: “Shhh”.

He also denied pulling the alleged victim up by her forearms when she slid down in her chair.

Krumov said that at no time had the colleague he was working with on a night shift that day remonstrated with him about his conduct while he was in the woman’s room.

Krumov, 31, of New Street, Mildenhall, denied ill-treating a person who lacked capacity on April 13, 2018, and was cleared after a short trial.

Laura Kenyon, prosecuting, said that after Krumov allegedly grabbed the woman’s mouth and shook her head and grabbed her by her forearms, a care worker who was working with had told him that his behaviour was unacceptable and had reported what happened to other members of staff and the care home manager.

When Krumov, who is a Bulgarian national, was interviewed under caution about the allegations he denied ill-treating the woman.

He said other care staff at the home looked down on him and he claimed the allegations were the result of discrimination.

Miss Kenyon told the court that the alleged victim suffered from dementia and had limited mobility, was unable to make decisions and could be disruptive.

On the night in question at about 2am she had started screaming loudly and disrupting other residents of the home.

She was sitting in a recliner chair and Krumov and the other care worker had started to move her to her bed in a bid to try and settle her, said Miss Kenyon.

She had continued to scream loudly and at that point the defendant had allegedly grabbed her round the mouth and shaken her head “vigorously”.

“His colleague told him to stop and said it was unacceptable behaviour,” said Miss Kenyon.