An elderly man with dementia died just days after being violently mistreated by a care worker in his home, a court has heard.
CCTV footage played at Woolwich Crown Court showed 42-year-old Bilikesu Olagunju throwing 88-year-old John Attard “like a rag doll” and threatening to “flog” him during a 45-minute care visit on Christmas Eve 2022 in Bexley, Kent.
In the disturbing footage, Olagunju can be heard yelling at the frail pensioner: “Maybe I will beat you up. I will flog you. I will take you to the GP to get injections. I will call the police on you.”
She was also seen dragging John by the scruff of his collar, forcibly stripping him, and pouring marmalade into his coffee—despite knowing he was diabetic.
John was found unresponsive the following morning, with blood on his face. He died in hospital 10 days later.
Although a post-mortem examination could not definitively link his death to the abuse, John’s son, Chris Attard, who had installed the hidden camera that captured the footage, said he believed the mistreatment accelerated his father’s decline.
“This was traumatic,” Chris told MailOnline, adding that repeatedly watching the footage had taken a significant toll on his mental health.
The court heard that Olagunju, who had recently started working as a carer in the UK, caused John “great distress.” Prosecutor James Benson said she subjected the vulnerable man to “rough handling, verbal aggression, and degrading treatment,” exploiting his condition.
Despite warnings from her employer not to physically handle John, Olagunju ignored the advice and continued to forcefully move him.
Judge Charlotte Welsh sentenced Olagunju to six weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months, and ordered her to complete 50 hours of unpaid work. She acknowledged Olagunju’s remorse but questioned why someone with no prior experience had been assigned to care for a person with advanced dementia.
“You failed to treat Mr. Attard as a person deserving of dignity and respect,” the judge said, adding that the incident revealed a clear lack of training.
Olagunju’s defense lawyer said she was “ashamed” of her actions and had suffered “mental anguish” since the incident. However, he admitted she had failed in her basic duty as a caregiver.
John Attard, who had five children, 11 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren, was described by his son as a “kind-hearted” and “generous” man who was still finding joy in life before the incident.
Following John’s death, a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection of Olagunju’s employer, Unique Personnel, revealed leadership and safety failures, poor staff training, and inadequate handling of complaints. A warning notice was issued, although some branches were rated “good.”
Chris Attard said he hopes the case will lead to better protections for the elderly and more stringent vetting of care workers.
