Nursery nurses 'mistreated boy', court told
A two-year-old boy was dragged by his legs across a floor and had his trousers pulled down by two nursery nurses, a court has heard.
Lisa Wymer and Rebecca Robins are accused of mistreating the boy at the nursery in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire.
CCTV footage of the alleged incident was shown to a jury at St Albans Crown Court.
The two women, aged 22 and 21, deny the incident and the case continues.
The court heard that CCTV footage appeared to show other children being told to poke the boy.
'Smacks of bullying'
Ms Wymer, of Arundel Drive, Borehamwood, and Ms Robins, of High Street, Codicote in Hitchin, appear to be laughing and joking, prosecutor George Heimler said.
Both women were dismissed from their jobs after the alleged incident on 17 December last year.
They are accused of wilfully mistreating the child in a manner likely to cause him unnecessary suffering or injury to health, and cruelty to a person under 16. They deny the charges.
Mr Heimler said the behaviour was not what would be expected of "a reasonable person in loco parentis" and that it "smacks of bullying".
The CCTV showed Ms Wymer dragging the boy by his legs into another room, nudging him with her foot near his ribs, pulling his shoes off and starting to pull his trousers down as he lies on the carpet, Mr Heimler said.
Ms Robins then stepped towards him and pulled his trousers down about two inches, revealing his pants and the top of his legs, he said.
He asked the jury: "Would you expect a nursery teacher to be treating a child in that way?"
The case continues.