Nursing home workers 'tormented' resident

Shauna Higgin, from Middleton, and Victoria Johnson, from Shaw, have admitted neglecting or mistreating elderly people in their care following a 'dementia doll' abuse row at Ashbourne House Nursing Home in Middleton.

Higgin, 20, and Johnson, 23, will be sentenced next month after each admitting two counts of ill-treating or wilfully neglecting an elderly resident at the nursing home last year.

Officers were alerted to a number of images taken by staff in January.

It was alleged that vulnerable residents had been tormented by abuse of "therapy" dolls used by those with dementia and Alzheimer's.

• http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/100649/nursing-home-staff-suspended-for-tormenting-dementia-patients

Johnson and Higgin were quizzed by officers before being charged in relation to incidents between 1 and 26 December last year.

They were due to stand trial next year after a plea hearing earlier in July, but will now be sentenced together next month.

The pair faced identical charges - four counts of a care worker ill-treating or wilfully neglecting an individual.

Each count related to a resident at Ashbourne House during their time there as care workers.

When they appeared at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court on 29 July Higgin pleaded not guilty to all four counts, while Johnson pleaded guilty to two of the four counts.

The pair were due to appear before a jury in February, but the trial has been vacated after Higgin changed her pleas.

In a brief appearance before Judge Andrew Lowcock, Higgin pleaded guilty to two of the four counts - one of which related to the same elderly resident Johnson had admitted mistreating.

The pair will be sentenced in relation to their two guilty pleas on 21 November. It is understood the remaining counts are likely to lie on file.