Seven care workers charged with abuse of residents in Devon

By The Press Association7th October 2014News EnglandAbuse, Care Homes, Devon & Cornwall, Learning Disabilities, News England

Seven people have been charged in connection with the ill-treatment of vulnerable residents at care homes.

The charges relate to the Veilstone, Gatooma and Teignmead homes, which were all run by Atlas Project Team Ltd. The homes, which were located in north and south Devon, were closed in 2012.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the seven people have been charged with conspiracy to falsely imprison and conspiracy to ill-treat vulnerable adults residing in their homes, between January 1 2010 and December 31 2011.

They are Paul Hewitt, 68, Russell Hewitt, 40, Emma Turner, 27, all from Teignmouth; Victoria Cobbett, 25, Timothy Stevens, 43, both from Bideford; Rachel Marshall, 29, and Jolyon Marshall, 39, both from South Molton.

They have been bailed to appear before Exeter Magistrates’ Court on October 28.

The homes, which cared for adults with learning disabilities, were closed following inspections by the Care Quality Commission.

A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman said: “Throughout this investigation the safety, welfare and protection of vulnerable adults has been and remains a priority for all the organisations involved.

“A multi-agency team is working to support the victims and their families to ensure they receive the appropriate levels support leading up to and throughout any future judicial proceedings.

“This support involves Devon County Council, NHS Devon, Devon Partnership Trust, Devon and Cornwall Police, the Care Quality Commission and other local authorities and NHS services.

“Devon and Cornwall Police have been and continue to work with a number of agencies in Devon including Adult Social Care Services and the Local Safeguarding Adults Board to prevent, and where appropriate to thoroughly investigate, reported incidents of this nature.

“The priority in all of these cases is to ensure that those involved are effectively safeguarded.”

Jan Tregelles, chief executive of Royal Mencap Society and Vivien Cooper, chief executive of the Challenging Behaviour Foundation, said in a joint statement: “We are deeply concerned by the allegations of abuse of people with a learning disability across a number of services run by the company Atlas.”