A Nigerian care worker living in the United Kingdom, Bilikesu Olagunju, has been found guilty of abusing 88-year-old dementia patient John Attard, just days before the elderly man’s death.
The disturbing abuse, which occurred at Attard’s home in Bexley, Kent, on Christmas Eve in 2022, was captured on a hidden camera installed by the victim’s son, Chris.
Olagunju, who had been employed as a carer for less than a week, was seen in the footage stripping the frail man, threatening him with violence, and ignoring his repeated pleas that she was causing him pain.
In one instance, she was heard threatening to beat him, administer injections, and even call the police on him.
Despite being aware of his medical condition, she poured marmalade into his coffee, fully knowing he was diabetic.
The video, which later served as key evidence in court, also captured Olagunju forcefully dragging Mr. Attard by his arm and collar, leaving him visibly distressed.
On Christmas morning, he was discovered with injuries and blood on his face. He was taken to the hospital, where he remained unconscious until his death ten days later.
Olagunju, who was working under Unique Personnel UK at the time, pleaded guilty to a charge of ill-treatment or wilful neglect of an individual lacking mental capacity.
She appeared before Woolwich Crown Court in southeast London and was sentenced to six weeks in prison.
However, the sentence was suspended for 18 months, and she was ordered to complete 50 hours of community service.
Following the court’s decision, Chris Attard expressed deep disappointment, calling the sentence a “slap in the face.”
He criticized the leniency of the punishment, saying it failed to reflect the seriousness of the abuse and its potential role in his father’s death.
Although a post-mortem could not definitively link the mistreatment to Mr. Attard’s passing, Chris maintained that the carer’s actions directly contributed to his father’s decline.
“If those cameras hadn’t been installed, she could still be working today and treating vulnerable elderly people in the same horrific way,” he said.
“I expected a suspended sentence, but the length of it and the minimal community service is a disgrace. It sends the wrong message.”
