Care home worker appears in court on abuse charges

A CARER has appeared in court charged with ill-treating or wilfully neglecting elderly residents at a nursing home where he worked.

Kyle Smallwood faces eight allegations relating to residents at Bradwell Hall Nursing Home.

The 23-year-old – who is charged under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 – allegedly committed the offences between January 2010 and April last year.

Seven of the alleged victims are women.

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Smallwood, of Clandon Avenue, Tunstall, did not enter any pleas when he appeared at North Staffordshire Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Steve Knowles, prosecuting, told the court: "I submit these cases are not suitable for summary trial at the magistrates' court.

"The matters involve elderly residents of Bradwell Hall Nursing Home where the defendant was employed as a carer. We say there is a significant breach of trust."

Magistrates declined jurisdiction in the case and Smallwood will be committed to Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on July 27. He was granted unconditional bail until that date.

The defendant faces eight identical charges that between January 10, 2010 and April 28, 2011, at Newcastle, he had the care of a named resident who lacked, or who he reasonably believed to lack mental capacity, ill-treated or wilfully neglected that person.

The family-owned Bradwell Hall Nursing Home, in Old Hall Drive, Bradwell, is set in four acres and has room for 171 residents.

Home officials today declined to comment on Smallwood's court appearance and directed The Sentinel to Staffordshire Police.

Staffordshire County Council has not commented on the case.