VIDEO: Shocking footage shows Peterborough carers verbally and physically abuse bed-bound dementia sufferer in her own home

The 85-year-old woman - who was bed bound and suffered from dementia - was abused by married couple Maurice, 56, and Deborah Campbell, 57, both of Illston Place, Peterborough.

Shocking CCTV footage released today showed them both verbally abusing the woman in her own home.

Mr Campbell was seen twisting her wrist and fingers, putting his body weight on her stomach as she tried to drink and forcefully ramming an object into her mouth in an effort to make her take tablets. The court also heard he had also slapped her across the head.

The woman screamed in pain as some of the abuse was carried out.

Mrs Campbell witnessed the physical abuse by her husband but did not intervene.

The court heard the victim was bed bound and required regular visits from carers. Initially, there were no concerns over the care provided by the Campbells, however, when they went on holiday in March this year, the victim’s family installed CCTV cameras in her bedroom because they were worried about how she would react to stand-in carers. When the Campbells returned, the camera was left on but it was not until May when the victim’s daughter noticed food splashed on the radiator, bed headboard and the bottom of the bed that she became suspicious and the CCTV was checked.

Speaking after the pair pleaded guilty to ill-treating and wilfully neglecting the woman at a hearing at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court earlier this year, Detective Sergeant Mark Little, who investigated, said: “This case involved some of the most shocking abuse of an elderly and vulnerable victim that I have come across in my career.

“Due to her dementia, the victim struggles to communicate and could not provide a witness statement so without the CCTV in her bedroom, no one would have been any the wiser to the abuse she was receiving.”

Today at Peterborough Crown Court, Maurice Campbell was jailed for 28 months. The sentencing of Deborah Campbell was postponed until January for more reports to be carried out by the court.