Galashiels Nursing Home assault sentence deferred
A care assistant who assaulted a 91-year-old woman with severe dementia has had her sentence deferred for nine months to be of good behaviour.
Holly Gordon, 27, of Kilncroft, Selkirk, admitted striking the patient at the Galashiels Nursing Home.
A court heard how she slapped the pensioner on the back.
Sheriff Kevin Drummond said he took into account she was a first offender who had lost her job and was unlikely to be employed in the sector again.
At Selkirk Sheriff Court, Gordon admitted the assault on 8 September this year.
The sheriff told her: "For six years you were employed working in the care of the elderly and infirm in the community.
"There must be many occasions when that work has high demands and many stresses.
"High standards are called for in the care of those individuals.
"You have admitted today a lapse of those high standards."
He deferred sentence for nine months until 22 July for good behaviour.
The court was told the victim could be "quite feisty" and had been known to nip members of staff.
Defence lawyer Ross Dow claimed that had happened on the day of the offence and his client was "terribly sorry".
"She received a sharp pain and it was a momentarily lapse of resolve," he said.
"She immediately recognised what she had done and was dismissed by her employers within days due to gross misconduct.
"She lost her temper on that day - it will be a source of regret for the rest of her life."