A CARE assistant who repeatedly pinched a 93-year-old dementia sufferer’s nose at a Malvern care home – and a colleague who laughed as he filmed the abuse – have escaped immediate prison sentences.

Gareth Paskin, of Brewery Walk, Barbourne, Worcester, also put his surgically gloved fingers into his victim’s ears during the bullying incident in the “mean and degrading” attack at The Springs residential care home.

Meanwhile, fellow care assistant Adam Cole, a father of three, of Bromyard Road, Worcester, used his mobile phone to record the abuse and could be heard laughing, while the victim appeared to be crying, Worcester Crown Court heard.

Paskin and Cole, both aged 30, admitted ill treatment of a person lacking capacity last December.

Recorder Graeme Cliff said he was “surprised” at the short sentences handed out at other court hearings for offences of this nature and that most people would think they should go to jail immediately.

But he said he had to follow the guidelines of similar cases and quoted one instance where someone had carried out more serious attacks on two elderly residents at another care home and had their sentence reduced on appeal.

Recorder Cliff gave Paskin a nine-month prison sentence suspended for two years and Cole six months suspended for 18 months.

Both were ordered to do 250 hours unpaid work in the community and barred from working with children or vulnerable adults.

Paskin was ordered to pay £550 court costs and Cole £500.

The recorder told them he had seen the filmed images of the attack, which happened in their victim’s bedroom at the home, and they had seemed to “get a certain pleasure” from what they did.

“Elderly people have the right to be treated with respect – when they are ill in residential homes they must be properly cared for,” he added.

“It was disgraceful behaviour – it was a form of bullying.”

Recorder Cliff described it as “mean and degrading” behaviour but said it was mercifully short.

Jason Aris, prosecuting, said that, from watching the video, it was clear the elderly victim was in some distress and appeared to be crying during the attack.

He added that Cole, who later played the footage to his girlfriend, had claimed he recorded the incident to cover his own back because he believed Paskin was “going too far”.

Sarah Holland, defending Cole, said he was “genuinely ashamed” of himself.

He now had two job opportunities – one at a bottle factory and another as a recruitment consultant – and was also considering becoming a barman at the Bush Inn, St John’s, Worcester.

Jason Patel, for Paskin, now a dairy warehouse operative, said his client had worked in care for three years until December last year and he was now “publicly identified as an abuser”.

He was “deeply ashamed” of his “despicable act”.

“He’ll never forgive himself for what he did,” added Mr Patel.

“These moments of absolute stupidity cost his working career as a carer – he then has to bear the consequences of being publicly outed.”

A spokesman from The Springs – which was given a clean bill of health in a Care Quality Commission inspection last year – said: “Last year we were alerted to an issue, acted immediately and dismissed the two people concerned.

“We have actively supported the police investigation to ensure that these people can never work with vulnerable people again.

“Everyone at the home was deeply shocked by these carers’ deplorable behaviour in 2014 and their actions do not reflect the home or the committed people who work here.

“We are very sorry this happened and have apologised to the resident and their family.

“Our residents’ wellbeing is always our number one priority.”