A NURSE struck-off for abusing pensioners in his care has sued his employers for more than £15,000.

Roland Maughan was jailed for carrying out a catalogue of assaults while in charge of the night shift.

Incidents included slapping one pensioner around the head and telling a carer to put a sedative into a female resident's tea because she would not go to sleep.

The divorced father-of-one served one year of a two-year jail sentence after being found guilty of six counts of common assault and another of incitement to administer a sedative.

But despite the sentence, a Newcastle tribunal found in Maughan's favour when he claimed his employers Four Season's Healthcare had violated the terms of his contract at Willow Court care home, in North Shields, North Tyneside. The contract stated that if an employee was suspended without pay, the internal investigation must be complete within seven days.

But Four Seasons Healthcare was unable to undertake this because the police took over the investigation. Even though Maughan was convicted of abuse by a crown court and struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the tribunal upheld his complaint.

Managing director Lou Smith said: "We are appalled that we have been forced to pay in excess of £15,000 compensation.

"We are horrified that the current industrial tribunal system can reward evil criminals by giving entitlements to wages for a period in which they should not work.

"Roland Maughan was suspended to protect people in our care."

The former soldier was originally jailed for two years and four months, but this was reduced after good behaviour to 12 months by the Appeal Court in London. He was released last summer.

He was cleared of additional charges of causing grievous bodily harm and another of causing actual bodily harm, which he denied.