A CARE home resident who tore a lump of flesh and tissue out of a 94-year-old woman’s leg in a violent attack at afternoon tea time has been jailed for 12 months.

Janette Barrett, 77, pulled the dementia sufferer’s hair with both hands and then took hold of her legs trying to drag her off the sofa on to the lounge floor at the Bradford nursing and residential home.

She only desisted when staff threatened to call the police, prosecutor Philip Adams told Bradford Crown Court today.

Barrett had torn a lump of flesh and tissue from the victim’s right calf. She left the room with her hands covered in blood leaving the old lady with an injury measuring 15cms x 10cms described in a court as looking like ‘a shark bite.’

The police and an ambulance were called to Holly Park nursing and residential home, in Clayton Lane, Clayton, and Barrett lied saying she had acted in self-defence. It was thought that the victim would need a skin graft but she had made a better recovery than expected, Mr Adams said.

The wound was still being dressed every week by a district nurse but she was now able to walk again with her stick.

Prosecutions involving one elderly care home resident attacking another are extremely rare. In the last 20 years, very few, if any, such cases have been brought before Bradford Crown Court.

Barrett pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding at 3.15pm on October 21 last year.

She was sentenced on a video link to HMP New Hall where she was remanded in custody. She sat in the prison booth in a pink top and a coat with her wheeled walking frame next to her.

Her barrister, Jayne Beckett, said she became frustrated with the victim after an argument. She had found it hard to cope with people with dementia.

Barrett had Parkinson’s disease that was worsening. She didn’t have a clear memory of what had happened. She was sorry and wished the victim hadn’t been hurt.

Barrett was lonely and distressed and no other care home would take her, Mrs Beckett said. It was a serious, unusual and very complex case.

Judge Andrew Hatton said Barrett was a woman aged 77 of previous good character.

She was seen standing over her victim pulling her hair with both hands.

A member of staff was unable to prevent the attack and when the victim kicked out, Barrett took hold of her legs and pulled a significant piece of flesh and tissue from her right calf.

The victim was still in the home with her leg dressed on a weekly basis and back to walking with her stick. Despite her dementia she was aware of what had happened and spoke about it with some regularity.

Judge Hatton said the victim was obviously vulnerable. Barrett was hostile and frustrated by her dementia and she lacked remorse.

“This is a far from straightforward case to deal with,” he said.

Barrett’s health was deteriorating and no other accommodation had been found for her.

She was jailed for 12 months meaning that with the time she has spent in custody she will be released soon.