A former senior support worker at a Perthshire care facility was found guilty of assaulting vulnerable residents after teenage volunteers from Germany raised the alarm about his aggressive behaviour.
Graeme Stuart was brought to justice after he was seen losing his temper with disabled adults who relied on his care at the rural Corbenic Camphill Community five years ago.
Stuart berated one woman when she gave him the middle finger and forced medication into the mouth of a man who was not co-operating.
The ex-army PT instructor was fined £1,500 after a sheriff rejected his claims that the gap year teenagers were trying to block a promotion he was convinced was coming his way.
Volunteer worries
Perth Sheriff Court heard that in 2020, gap year volunteers Liv Siesing and Sara Ebbing signed up to help at Corbenic through German agency Freunde Waldorf.
The pair, both fresh out of school, were due to live and assist at the facility near Dunkeld from late summer 2020 for nearly a year.
Economics and education student Ms Siesing, now 23, flew back to Scotland to give evidence this week.
She told prosecutor Elizabeth Hodgson she saw Stuart lose his temper in September 2020 when the woman shouted and gave him the middle finger on a stairwell.
She said: “Most of the time Mr Stuart was really, really good with the residents.
“There were two incidents where he lost a little bit of his temper.
“It wasn’t really the care the resident needed at the time.
“I just know that (the woman) has a bad day. I went to go down to her room with her.
“I think on the way we met Mr Stuart. She shouted and showed him the middle finger.
“Mr Stuart lost a little bit of his temper. They were shouting to each other.
“Then (she) was really quiet and really scared.”
Of the incident involving the male, Ms Siesing said: “He pushed his forehead down and opened his mouth and put them in his mouth.
“I felt not good because I know that’s not how it usually would happen.
“It’s obviously always a stressful situation with the medication but there’s no need to be that ungentle.”
Second teen’s account
The court also heard a statement given to police by Ms Ebbing, read out by a police officer.
“Graeme Stuart… grabbed her by the wrists and pinned her against a wall.
“He was shouting in (her) face and being aggressive.
“(She) looked scared and started crying.”
Of seeing a medication incident at breakfast one morning, she said: “(The male resident) was being difficult.
“(He) sat down and put his had on the table. Graeme came into the room with his medication.
“Graeme pulled (his) head up and back and opened his mouth using his hand.”
Blanket denial
Stuart, who spent 24 years in the Army, told the trial he joined Corbenic in February 2020 as a support worker and had been promoted to senior support worker.
He claimed neither incident took place and said he believed the teens conspired against him because they wanted to stall his career.
“I think to be honest, it was maybe how quick I was getting promoted, how I was going to take over as the house co-ordinator… possibly,” he said.
“They weren’t happy because the house co-ordinator is quite lackadaisical, quite laid back. I think they would have been worried that I might have come in and tightened things up.”
‘Fairly worrying offences’
Stuart, formerly of Crieff but now of Llanerfyl in Mid Wales, denied both assaults.
An allegation of another assault on a third resident was dropped.
However, Sheriff Clair McLachlan found the 54-year-old, who is no longer working, guilty of both charges.
He repeatedly seized a female resident on the body, repeatedly restrained her against a wall and repeatedly shouted at her.
On a number of occasions in December 2020 and January 2021, he assaulted a male resident by seizing him on the head and forcing medication into his mouth.
She told the first offender: “I have to say that your evidence really did nothing to assist – I found your blanket denials difficult to make any sense of.
“Notwithstanding on the face of what are fairly worrying offences, I’m willing to look at the bigger picture.
“The impression I have is of Mr Stuart being a very caring and dedicated worker and we have these two occasions where I think he’s lost his temper and has just slipped over the line.
“This has certainly had a huge impact on him.
“The fact that you’ve been convicted of unpleasant offences does not mean I consider you an unpleasant person.
“You, for whatever reason, have acted badly in these situations.”
PTSD diagnosis
In mitigation, Ms Gianni said: “He is a very caring worker.
“This has impacted on the treatment that he requires to receive. He’s been diagnosed with PTSD.
“He lost his job, he lost his home, he lost his wife.
“It’s unfortunate that a man of previous good character finds himself in this situation.
“There was no point in starting the treatment that he requires with this hanging over him. At least on one view, it’s come to an end and he can start on the course of treatment that he requires.”
What is Corbenic Camphill Community?
Located at Trochry and spread across 100 acres of land, the Corbenic Camphill Community provides day and residential care for adults with learning difficulties.
It is part of a global group which provides a “holistic residential environment that meets the social, physical, emotional and economic needs” of residents.
At the time the charges were revealed, a spokesman confirmed Stuart was no longer employed.
He said: “The safety of residents in Corbenic Camphill Community is given the highest priority.
“Any cases of alleged or actual harm or assault would be investigated thoroughly and reported promptly to the relevant regulators and authorities.”
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