Derbyshire carer pulled clumps of hair from heads of elderly women

Paula Bailey was working as a care assistant when the neighbour of a 75-year-old woman reported concerns about bruising she had seen on the victim’s arms at her house in Laurel Crescent, Nuthall.

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Police attended and uncovered that Bailey, of Clumber Street, Long Eaton, had punched the woman’s arms and legs on several occasions and pulled her hair so hard that a clump had fallen out and been left on the floor of her house.

The victim had also been screamed and shouted at by the 49-year-old.

They also found that Bailey had assaulted an 85-year-old resident at the Acacia Care Home in Sherwood Rise, where she worked, after staff reported it to police and alleged that she had been found drunk in the victim's room.

The woman, who suffered from dementia, had visible injuries to her face and hair missing from her scalp.

Bailey was arrested following the incidents in June and July last year and charged with three counts of causing actual bodily harm and wilfully neglecting an individual.

Last month she pleaded guilty to all four offences and was sentenced to two years, two months in prison on Wednesday.

Detective Constable Elizabeth Gray, of Nottinghamshire Police’s public protection team, said: “Bailey physically abused two vulnerable women, who looked to her for care, to a horrifying extent and she must have caused them great pain.

“We’re grateful to the neighbours who spotted bruising on one of the victims and reported their concerns to us which in turn led to us being able to put a stop to this appalling behaviour.

“We will always take these reports seriously and ensure that people in a position of trust are not able to take their anger out on others.

“We encourage anyone who has suspicions that abusive behaviour is taking place to call us on 101 so we can carry out a robust and thorough investigation.”

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