A nurse from Bradford slapped a vulnerable nursing home resident with a used incontinence pad, a court heard.

Lydia Onwen, 54, of Fourth Avenue, Bradford Moor, called the elderly male resident a ‘naughty man’ and slapped him around the face with the incontinence pad, Skipton magistrates were told.

Onwen, who qualified as a nurse almost 30 years ago in South Africa and had no previous convictions, also ‘lightly’ slapped his legs and arms during a night-time check of residents, the court heard.

Onwen, who denied assault by beating at the Royd Hill Nursing Home in Sutton Lane, Sutton-in-Craven, near Keighley, had been suspended following the incident on June 27.

A care assistant, Jessica Wilkinson, described in court how she had been working the night shift with Onwen and witnessed the senior member of staff lightly slap the man with her hands and then with the pad.

Miss Wilkinson, who was concerned by the tone of Onwen’s voice and had been shocked by her actions, reported the incident the next day to the deputy manager.

Onwen claimed during the trial that she had not slapped the resident, who suffers from Parkinson’s Disease, and that Miss Wilkinson must have been mistaken – but she could not explain how. She also could not recall whether she had called him ‘naughty’.

Magistrates told Onwen her evidence had been vague at times, whereas Miss Wilkinson had been clear and consistent. They found her guilty and warned her to expect a high community order to a possible prison sentence when she returns to court on November 29 following a pre-sentence report.