Bannockburn care home nurse assaulted woman

A care home nurse has been found guilty of assaulting an 80-year-old woman for refusing to take a tranquiliser. Stirling Sheriff Court was told Gape Ramotadina, 39, twisted the hand of dementia sufferer Margaret Kirk at Bannockburn’s Fairview Nursing Home.

Ramotadina, who is from Botswana, has since had her permission to work in the UK suspended.

Sheriff Maxwell Hendry deferred sentence on her and said she had three months to leave the country.

The case came to light after two nurses, who worked alongside Ramotadina during the nightshift on 11 October 2007, reported her after seeing her grab Mrs Kirk.

Sharon Fairburn, 38, said she and another care assistant, Mary Paterson, were passing the treatment room at the home when they noticed Mrs Kirk “half way in the door”.

‘Documentary evidence’

She said she saw Ramotadina tug her cardigan to pull her into the room.

She added: “She took Margaret’s left hand and twisted it down and Margaret stumbled into the treatment room.

“Margaret yelped. She screamed.”

Miss Fairburn said she herself was so upset by what she saw that she was crying.

John Mulholland, defending, said his client was no longer permitted to work in Britain in any capacity and was receiving no income or benefits.

He said she was now living in London on charitable handouts and was unlikely to be given permission to stay in the UK.

She has also been suspended by the General Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Deferring sentencing until August, Sheriff Hendry told Ramotadina that the assault was not serious enough for jail or community service, and there was no focus for probation.

He said a fine would simply penalise those who were supporting her with charity.

He added: “If she is no longer in this country in three months’ time, I would make nothing of her non-appearance in August, but I will need documentary evidence that she is no longer in the country.”