TWO mental Health support workers who carried out a sickening assault on a dying elderly dementia sufferer have been warned that they could be facing a jail sentence.

Abel Bellary and Josephine Apalisok verbally abused and humiliated 89-year-old Derek Maynard at the Kings Park Hospital in Boscombe, Bournemouth, during the attack on Sunday, October 12 last year.

Mr Maynard, who was suffering from lung cancer and heart failure as well as dementia, died four days later, although not as a result of the incident.

After the case, Bournemouth’s older people’s champion praised the whistle-blowers who brought the abuse to light and called for others not to hesitate to report suspected abuse.

Bellary, 58, of Gloucester Road, Boscombe, and Apalisok, 46, of Old Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, both denied assault by beating. They described Mr Maynard as an “attention seeker” and claimed colleagues Claire Bull and Dora Goncalves had made up the assault.

But the pair were found guilty at the end of a two-day trial before Bournemouth magistrates. Chairman of the bench Michael Joseph ordered reports to be prepared before sentencing on October 19, telling the pair that they could go to prison.

“Both defendants shouted at and abused Mr Maynard, who was asking to be put to bed. He was told in a very harsh manner that if he wanted to go to bed, he would have to lie on the floor,” he said.

Mr Maynard slipped from his chair on to the floor and was left lying there until Miss Goncalves and another member of staff helped him back into his chair.

Apalisok and Bellary mocked him as he continued asking to be put to bed. Then 46-year-old Apalisok went to the office and returned with a three-inch piece of Sellotape, which she placed over his mouth.

Mr Maynard was said to have looked around him with “sad eyes” until Bellary, 58, removed the tape less than a minute later.

Mr Joseph called the evidence of both defendants “implausible” and Bellary’s recollection “selective”. He added: “What they did was inexcusable. He was their patient. They were trained to exercise control.”

Apalisok, originally from the Philippines and Bellary, from India, had exemplary records before the incident.

Jane Elson, director of older people’s mental health services at Dorset HealthCare Trust, said: “I cannot emphasise enough how shocked we were by the details of the allegations. They were suspended within two hours and subsequently dismissed as a result of their actions.

“I’d like to offer a heartfelt assurance that this terrible incident is a totally isolated case – we will do everything in our power to ensure that our patients continue to be cared for with the utmost dignity and respect.”

The trust has been given consistently high ratings by health watchdogs.