AN experienced care home manager rammed a wheelchair into a vulnerable residents' legs after she refused to co-operate with staff, a court heard.

Angela Laidler shoved the wheelchair – in which a woman in her 80s was sitting – towards the victim, after shouting and swearing at her and shaking her by the shoulders.

The victim, who has learning difficulties and dwarfism, was refusing to come out of a lift because she wanted a bath and there were no staff available to help her, Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court was told.

After two care assistants tried and failed to coax her out, they sought the help of Laidler, who came "storming" up the stairs to deal with her.

Magistrates heard how the 54-year-old victim had been transferred to Redwell Hills Care Home, in Consett, which is home to mostly elderly people, after a specialist unit in Stanhope closed.

When the assault took place, on Monday, June 13, last year, the only lift in the building had been out of order all day, leaving 17 residents stuck upstairs in their bedrooms. It had started working again at 4pm.

A senior care assistant at the time of the incident, said: "I saw the resident sat on the floor in the lift, with her Zimmer frame in front of her.

"I tried asking her to come out and explained that as soon as we could give her a bath we would, but she just kept saying no."

She added: “I went to ask Angela for help. She came straight up and started shouting, saying ‘get out of the lift now you little f****** cow.

“When she said 'no' she took her Zimmer frame off her and threw it out of the lift and grabbed hold of her by the arms.

“Another resident was waiting to use the lift in a wheelchair and Angela pushed the wheelchair into (the victim’s) legs with force.”

Another witness told the court: “Angela came storming up the stairs and went into the lift and grabbed the resident and shook her backwards and forwards. The resident was quite upset and distressed about it.”

Laidler, of Kip Hill Court, Stanley, denied assault, but was found guilty by magistrates.

The 51-year-old, who has 30 years’ experience working as a nurse, described the resident as "a lovely little lady" and claimed that at no point did she shout at her or make contact with her.

She added: “I tried for two or three minutes to get the resident to come out but she refused. If it looked like I threw the Zimmer frame it was because I stumbled bringing it out.

“It did not look smooth when I put the other resident in the wheelchair in the lift because she was a heavy lady and I had to manoeuvre the wheelchair in. I never shouted at the resident and to my knowledge I didn’t make contact with her.”

Laidler will return to Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court for sentencing on Tuesday.

A spokesman for Four Seasons Health Care, which owns the home, said the company immediately notified Durham County Council's safeguarding team and the Care Quality Commission, co-operated with the police investigation and notified the Nursing and Midwifery Council, which led to Laidler's interim suspension.

The spokesman added: "We deeply regret that a member of our team behaved inappropriately with people entrusted into their care.

"As a leading care provider we have rigorous policies and procedures in all our homes to support good care.

"It is deeply disappointing and upsetting when we come across the exceptions who let down the people in their care and their colleagues."

Redwell Hills is currently rated "good" by the Care Quality Commission and has a satisfaction rating averaging 99 per cent.