ELDERLY residents at a Hull care home had their treasured possessions stolen by a sneak-in thief as they slept in their beds.
The burglary at Sunningdale Court Nursing Home happened despite a previous incident when a resident at the home was raped by a man who walked in off the street, unchecked.
Cash-strapped owners Southern Cross, who are battling to keep the home in east Hull open, had vowed to improve security after the rape.
But Mandy Heath, 39, was still able to enter the home through an open door and steal watches and money from two residents, aged 92 and 81, as they slept.
One of the watches had been presented to war hero John Rhodes, 92, for services to his country.
Age UK Hull chief officer Sally Gould is calling on the nursing home to "smarten" up its practices.
She said: "It has happened once and now again and their practices need to be smartened up.
"For families, it is very worrying. They will be worrying about whether it will happen to their mums and dads.
"The home has a responsibility to make sure the security is good. Equally, there has to be a balance because you do not want the place to become a prison.
"There are ways that can be done and clearly it is not being done at this home.
"This care home provider needs to think very clearly about what it is going to do in the future. It's about respecting people's dignity and them and their loved ones knowing they are safe."
Last May, Antony Colin Samuel Norris, 25, was sectioned for raping a severely-disabled 76-year-old at the home after he was refused entry to a mental health unit next door in Birkdale Way, east Hull.
He had been kept at the unit, which is run by Humber NHS Foundation Trust, for six weeks and had been allowed out for the day.
But when Norris returned drunk, staff refused him entry.
He then walked into Sunningdale Court Nursing Home next door and carried out the horrific assault on the woman.
Speaking after the latest incident, Phil Lloyd, area manager for Southern Cross, said: "Following the break-in at our Sunningdale Court Nursing Homes in Hull, we would like to apologise for any concerns that may have been caused to our residents and their relatives.
"We would like to assure them that all our homes, including Sunningdale Court, follow strict safety protocol and are completely secure.
"The safety, security and wellbeing of our residents remains our number one priority."
Hull Crown Court heard Heath, who has more than 120 convictions for theft and dishonesty, was caught after stealing a pair of socks from Mr Rhodes' room.
The war veteran woke up just as Heath was leaving his room and went to confront her.
The drug addict, of Rustenburg Street, east Hull, was also confronted by a member of staff as she tried to leave and claimed she was visiting a relative.
Unable to provide a name for this relative, she made off before the police arrived.
Although Mr Rhodes was able to retrieve his bed socks, he later realised she had stolen his treasured watch, which has never been recovered.
The next day, it was discovered Heath had also stolen a watch from the wrist of resident Phyliss Harrison, 81, as she slept, along with money from her purse.
She was arrested when Heath's fingerprints were found on Mr Rhodes' sock drawer.
Detective Constable Andy Bradley said: "This was a nasty offence motivated by drugs. She preyed on these people because they were vulnerable. The victims are in frail health. It could have been a lot worse had they woken to find her standing over them."
Heath pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary at the nursing home on March 13 and has been sentenced to two and a half years in jail.
Recorder Tahir Khan QC said: "These are serious offences committed against elderly and vulnerable victims. The public expect that people who commit these offences are properly punished."
Heath's barrister Rodney Ferm said she was full of remorse.
He added: "She was at pains to tell me what a terrible thing she feels she has done. She is ashamed of what she has done.
"She would give anything to try and get the watch back.
"It appears a door was left open and she took the opportunity to go in."
Last year, the home had told the Mail it had installed an access control system to improve safety and would ask new visitors to provide identification before being allowed to enter the building.
Source http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/
Friday, 17 June 2011
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