Abuse of elderly in care homes must be hate crime says Esther Rantzen
STEVE BELL Dame Esther Rantzen said the care of elderly makes her 'despair of the human race'
The veteran campaigner, founder of Britain’s first free 24-hour helpline for vulnerable OAPs, backed calls for a change in the law to make the targeting of the aged a hate crime. The former That’s Life! presenter was horrified to learn wanton criminality against pensioners is not treated in the same way as domestic abuse or offences motivated by race, sexual orientation or disability. She now wants justice ministers to make elder abuse an aggravated offence so courts can impose tough sentences on those who exploit the helpless.
Dame Esther, 77, said: “When I hear of the elderly being abused it’s always incredibly shocking and makes me despair of the human race that people can be so ruthless and so dishonest. “If the only way to achieve tougher sentences on those who prey upon the vulnerable and elderly is a change in the law, then clearly it is necessary.” Around a million older people are victims of physical, financial, psychological and sexual abuse each year, but campaigners say criminal convictions are rare and sentences far too lenient. Because age is not a strand of hate crime under current legislation, prosecutors are unable to apply for tougher sentences.
The folly has seen those guilty of sickening physical attacks and doorstep cons given “slap on the wrist” community sentences instead of jail. The charity Action On Elder Abuse says the Government needs to change the rules so the full force of the law is felt by those who deliberately target OAPs. Tory MP Philip Davies said: “There is something particularly unpleasant about someone being deliberately targeted because of their vulnerability and the courts should see that as an aggravating factor when it comes to sentencing. “As far as I am concerned these people are beneath contempt and should be locked up and the key thrown away.”
Abuse of the elderly can be physical or sexual assault, harassment, coercion, threats and intimidation, theft and fraud, and neglect. Each year money and property worth £42million is snatched from pensioners from doorstep con artists. In 2016/17, there was a decrease in police referrals to the CPS for crimes against older people compared to a year earlier from 3,568 to 3,467, resulting in 2,783 suspects charged. The number of successful convictions in England and Wales in 2016/17 was just 2,856 – down on 3,012 a year earlier – representing less than three per cent of the estimated total number of crimes committed.
Dame Esther’s backing for a change in the law comes 32 years after she set up ChildLine, a confidential counselling service that has given protection to hundreds of thousands of vulnerable children. In 2013, she set up the charity The Silver Line for elderly people, to help combat isolation and loneliness in older people, to provide information and advice and to offer a helpline which is free, confidential and open 24/7. She said: “The older people who get in touch with The Silver Line helpline very often live alone and don’t have access to family or professional advisers who they can turn to for advice and help. “Some are so lonely they welcome a telephone call from a stranger who seems friendly and interested in them.
GETTY Abuse can be physical or sexual, coercion, threat, theft and neglect
Some of them live in older properties which may need repairs and refurbishment and some of them are so honest themselves that they expect to be able to trust other people. “All of these qualities can make them targets for unscrupulous criminals who swindle them and cheat them out of their life savings, but whose crimes are not treated as serious, and even when they are caught confidential and open are sometimes let off with very light sentences. “So without wishing to imply that older people are foolish or unwise I do think the courts should recognise their extra vulnerability and these crimes should be treated very seriously indeed. “It can be even more disturbing when they are preyed upon by those who should be looking after them, like their carers.”
There is something particularly unpleasant about someone being deliberately targeted because of their vulnerability Philip Davies
Dame Esther’s plea follows the launch of the Daily Express’s Respect For The Elderly campaign. There is currently no statutory definition of a crime against an older person and no specific legislation. Because age is not a factor prosecutors are unable to apply for an uplift in sentencing under sections 145 and 146 of the Criminal Justice Act. All they are able to do is draw on the facts of a case to highlight the age or vulnerability of the victim as an aggravating factor.
It has sparked claims that those who deliberately target the elderly are given unduly lenient sentences. Carer Deborah Carrigan, 43, was caught on CCTV taking bank notes and coins from the purse of 92-year-old dementia sufferer Ada Berlin during lunchtime visits. The thief, from Croydon, was employed by Allied Healthcare, then known as Saga. She was recorded snatching cash from Mrs Berlin’s purse.
She initially denied any involvement but confessed to four counts of theft by abuse of position and was given a three-month prison sentence suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 12 months of supervision and 200 hours of community service. Susan Pell was also caught on camera plundering cash from war hero Peter Carpenter’s wallet when his back was turned. Film showed 65-year-old Pell stealing cash from Mr Carpenter’s home twice. She was sentenced to a year-long community order and 150 hours of unpaid community work.
GETTY Money and property worth £42-million is taken from pensioners each year