A care home worker left an elderly resident alone in the shower while he sat on a bed vaping, a court has heard. The resident, Graham Newcombe, 86, who had Alzheimer's dementia and severely compromised mobility, suffered a fall that resulted in a head laceration and broken bones. He later died, though prosecutors determined no causative link between the fall and his death.
Incident at Glasfryn House
Damon Van Deventeer, 24, was working at Glasfryn House residential care home in Cockett, Swansea, on May 28, 2023. He was tasked with washing and cutting Mr Newcombe's hair. Due to a bathroom issue, the resident was taken to a different room, contrary to the home's policy due to cross-contamination risks. The shower in that room had only a perching stool, which Van Deventeer had not been trained to use.
Prosecutor Robin Rouch told Swansea Crown Court that a care assistant helping Van Deventeer left to attend to another resident, leaving the defendant alone with Mr Newcombe. Exactly what happened in the shower is unknown, but another staff member later saw Van Deventeer sitting on a bed, vaping or using his phone.
Discovery and Aftermath
Mr Newcombe was found lying on the shower floor with a 5cm laceration to his head. He was taken to hospital, where X-rays revealed broken bones in his ankle and foot. Van Deventeer became upset when challenged and was suspended before resigning.
The court heard that Mr Newcombe later passed away. An investigation into a potential causative link between the fall and his death concluded that no such link could be established. The prosecutor emphasized that the criminality lay in Van Deventeer's decision to leave Mr Newcombe alone.
Defendant's Background and Plea
Van Deventeer, of Ffordd Beck, Gowerton, Swansea, pleaded guilty to wilful neglect of an individual. He had no previous convictions. His barrister, Sarah John, argued that the defendant had not received training on the appropriate equipment and had seen other staff using it. She described a workplace culture that was lax and lacking in standards.
John noted that Van Deventeer had known Mr Newcombe for around three years and had a soft spot for him. The defendant wrote a letter expressing sorrow, stating he thinks about the resident every day and wishes he could turn back the clock. References described him as a loving partner and devoted father who built a new life in Swansea after a childhood in South Africa marred by violence and guns.
Sentencing
Judge Paul Thomas KC said Van Deventeer had failed lamentably in his duty of care. The risks of leaving Mr Newcombe alone in the shower should have been wholly obvious, even if training and example were inadequate. The judge described the actions as gross carelessness.
With a 20% discount for his guilty plea, Van Deventeer was sentenced to 24 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work in the community.
