David Jones, 53, targeted highly vulnerable pensioners in his campaign of ‘abhorrent’ care home abuse, locking himself into their rooms and filming some of his actions
A care home worker who recorded himself sexually assaulting elderly women with dementia who he had been entrusted to protect has been sentenced to 15 years behind bars. David Jones, 53, preyed upon extremely vulnerable pensioners during his campaign of “abhorrent” abuse, barricading himself inside their rooms and recording some of his actions.
One of the victims was unable to communicate what had been done to her, while relatives of another had spotted the “fear in her eyes” but claim their worries were brushed aside by care home management as merely being signs of worsening dementia.
Canterbury Crown Court was told on Friday that Jones was discovered by a colleague in one of the victims’ rooms with his trousers down, and examination of his phone exposed the extent of his offences.
A second victim was identified by officers using photographs Jones had captured of himself perpetrating the sexual assault.
Officers also discovered indecent images of children, and a “plethora” of images of suspected additional care home victims who remain unidentified.
Jones admitted two counts of sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder impeding choice, sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder by a care worker, and possession of indecent images of children.
He was sentenced by Judge Simon James, the Recorder of Canterbury, to 15 years imprisonment with an additional four years on licence. Jones is due to serve his entire 15-year sentence behind bars, unless he can persuade a Parole Board after at least 10 years that he poses no further risk upon release.
The judge told him: “Both of your elderly victims were particularly vulnerable, one lacked any capacity to consent and the other, being non-verbal, was unable to communicate or complain.
“They had both been entrusted into your care and your targeting of them for your own warped sexual satisfaction was about as abhorrent a breach of trust as it is possible to imagine.”
The relatives of one elderly victim say there were red flags regarding Jones’s abuse, and criticised care home bosses for failing to conduct a thorough investigation.
They said they are “relieved” to know that Jones is now imprisoned, and praised prosecutors and police for “bringing this depraved individual to justice”.
“Our mother has suffered extreme fear, pain and distress while lacking the capacity to report what had repeatedly been done to her, let alone process it.”
The family said they witnessed a “rapid deterioration” in their mother’s condition, including bruising, broken bones and seeing “fear in her eyes”, and voiced their worries to care home management even before Jones’s abuse came to light.
“We were dismissed, treated as if we were overly protective and told that her fear and deterioration was due to her dementia”, they said, in a statement. “This allowed Jones to get away with committing his abuse until further alarms were raised by a whistleblower who caught him in the act.”
The family expressed they are grappling with their choice to trust the care home, and feel disappointed that it still holds a “good” rating from the Care Quality Commission despite the criminal investigation and Jones’s abuse.
“We are deeply upset with (the care home) but are also concerned that this is not an isolated incident”, they added.
“We call on all managers of care homes across the country to urgently revisit their safeguarding protocols to prevent sick individuals from taking advantage of residents’ vulnerabilities in this way.”
In his sentencing remarks, Judge James said it is “virtually impossible to gauge the psychological harm suffered by your victims”, but acknowledged the “feelings of betrayal and understandable anger of those who entrusted their loves ones into your care”.
Alan Collins, a partner at law firm Bolt Burdon Kemp, who is representing the family in a civil damages claim against the care home, commented after the sentencing: “This appalling case highlights the need for robust vetting, recruiting and monitoring of care home staff, and the importance of conducting thorough investigations when families raise concerns, as well as whistleblowing training for all staff.
“David Jones was able to carry out his disturbing crimes with impunity, due to the failure of the care home to adequately investigate concerns.
“Care homes are expected to provide a safe environment for their vulnerable residents and staff who are there to care for them.
“Any allegations of abuse should be taken extremely seriously and investigated appropriately.”