Picture of "mean and cruel” nurse filmed “slapping” elderly dementia patients at Chesterfield home released by police

Sharlene Bosita, 30, was filmed abusing the residents – aged 85 and 86 – over a period of five days at Ashgate House Nursing home, Derby Crown Court heard.

Management at the home were reviewing footage on an unrelated matter when the defendant’s offending came to light between July 24 and July 29 last year.

Recorder Sunil Khanna told Bosita: “These were mean and cruel offences and I’m afraid only immediate custody can properly reflect the seriousness.

"They were all extremely vulnerable and were unable to speak for themselves.”

Prosecutor Eddie Leonard described how Bosita was seen “mimicking” and “laughing” at her victims and throwing water at one of them on “five different occasions”.

While she slapped another in the face “four times” with a glove, lifted residents nightgowns to humiliate them and was seen lifting one of them “by the legs”.

One of the patients was left by Bosita wandering around the home naked.

Ms Leonard said 37 separate incidents were recorded altogether – however use of the glove was “something of a theme”, as was throwing water.

Two of the residents were heard “crying” and with one saying “no, don’t hurt me”.

Bosita’s defence barrister said his client, native to the Philippines, had a degree in nursing and her offending was a “loss of control which became a pattern”.

She resigned while disciplinary proceedings were ongoing.

Bosita, of Hunloke Avenue, Chesterfield, had no previous convictions. She admitted three counts of being a care worker ill-treating an individual.

Jailing her for nine months, Recorder Sunil Khanna said: “You believed you were being firm but being firm does not allow you to hit someone in the face with a glove, or throw water and laugh at them.

"That’s not being firm, that’s you being abusive – you are in complete denial of your actions.

"I accept that things are difficult in care homes but it’s no excuse of a loss of control – you were in a position of great trust.”

Graham Heathcote from the CPS said: “Sharlene Bosita behaved with callous cruelty towards three people she was employed to look after and protect. While individually the level of violence Bosita used was relatively minor, over a prolonged period, there can be no doubt that her actions will have caused significant emotional and physical harm to her victims. Given their vulnerability, it was important to establish the extend of Bosita’s criminal behaviour, for which she has now been held to account.”