iStockA carer who yelled at a vulnerable pensioner to clean their bathroom has been ordered to do 130 hours of unpaid work.
Gary Wood, 31, shouted at the 72-year-old at his home in Glasgow’s Knightswood on June 23 2022.
A concerned neighbour claimed he also heard slapping coming from the man’s bathroom.
He later confronted Wood, of the city’s Yoker, who denied being making the remarks to the man.
Wood claimed that he was having a “bad week” at work as he thought his partner was leaving him.
He pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
Sheriff Vincent Lunny said: “I don’t think much more can be said – all that’s said has been.
“This should never have happened.
“I take account that this was a stressful situation but this was a vulnerable person who didn’t deserve to be treated in this manner.”
The court heard the elderly man needed 24-hour care.
His neighbour David Thomson told the court that the man did not speak and was childlike.
He stated that he and his wife were working in their garden on the day of the incident.
Mr Thomson said: “I heard raised voices – shouting – it seemed to be coming from the bathroom. The window was open.”
Prosecutor Ramsay Cunningham asked what he could hear after the shouting.
The witness replied: “I heard banging and knocking about – it seemed like slapping noises.”
He stated that when he heard the victim moaning, that’s when he realised something was happening.
Mr Cunningham asked the witness what he could hear.
The neighbour said: “Clean it up, clean it f***ing up, get it f***ing cleaned up.
“[The man] was shouting ‘No, No, No’ while in distress.”
Mr Thomson stated that he shouted up asking if the victim was okay and heard nothing.
He claimed that the shouting started again before asking: “What are you doing to [him]?”
Mr Thomson stated that Wood then came out to the back door wearing marigold gloves.
He said: “I asked what was happening, what are you doing to [the victim] and he said he had diarrhoea.
“I said ‘Are you making him clean it up himself’ and he said that he wasn’t.
“I told him that it was out of order the way he was speaking to him.”
The witness stated that Wood then opened the door and said “Excuse me?” before going back inside.
Mr Thomson said: “I was shaking and shocked, I went and wrote it all down about what happened.”
He stated that he reported the matter to other carers.
Mr Cunningham asked what concerns he had.
The witness replied: “I thought [the elderly man] was being abused.”
John Kilcoyne, defending, told the sentencing that Wood is now working as a cleaner at a hotel.
The lawyer added: “He worked in the care sector for eight years.
“He was having a bad week at work and thought his relationship with his partner was over – he was in a bad way and simply snapped.
“He is embarrassed and has shown empathy towards his victim and says that it was out of character.”
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
