Nurse assaulted care home resident in TV row

A nurse who attacked a resident in a nursing home after he complained about the volume of a TV set has been handed a community service sentence.

Marjory Murray, 51, grabbed the man by the throat before kneeing him in the groin and kicking him, Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard.

She then warned other staff: “That goes no further.”

Murray was given 240 hours community service after being found guilty of the assault at Crossgates care home in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire.

The 77-year-old patient, who has Alzheimer’s, became distressed about a noisy TV and struggled with other staff before Murray arrived and attacked him.

Murray claimed she only used restraining techniques but her victim told other staff: “That girl kicked me like a horse.”

She was suspended then later sacked.

Another member of staff, Amber Wilson, 20, said she did not report the incident immediately because she was new in the job and Murray “could be quite intimidating”.

She added: “I was scared in case for some reason she got let off and I still had to work with her. She was my senior.”

Staff nurse Murray, of Auchinleck, denied assault and attempting to defeat the ends of justice in September 2010, but was found guilty.

Sheriff John Rafferty told her: “I consider this to be a very serious attack against an elderly man who was in your care.

“The relatives of the residents expected you to look after the people in your charge and you did not do that.”

Sentencing of Murray has been deferred.