Liberton care home worker cleared of abuse against dementia residents

A CARE home worker who was accused of a catalogue of abuse against elderly dementia residents has walked free from court.
Avi Seedany. Pic: FacebookAvi Seedany. Pic: Facebook
Avi Seedany. Pic: Facebook

Poorooshotum Avi Seedany, 27, was alleged to have assaulted three OAPs while working at the Braid Hills Care Home in Liberton earlier this year.

It was said Seedany tried to force a 101-year-old woman to eat biscuits from the floor after she had spilled them during one incident.

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The carer was also alleged to have attacked a 74-year-old male resident by twisting his nipples and pulling him out of bed by his ears when he worked shifts at the residential home.

While a further allegation stated he also assaulted a third vulnerable OAP by slapping her to the head and pushing her so she fell and banged her head off a chair.

Three care home colleagues gave evidence against Seedany, known as Avi, during a four-day trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court claiming they witnessed the series of alleged assaults within the residents’ 
rooms.

But following all the evidence Sheriff Frank Crowe yesterday found Seedany not guilty of all eight charges against him.

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Shocked relatives of the alleged victims, who cannot be named due to legal reasons, who had packed the public gallery rushed from the court in tears following Sheriff Crowe’s verdicts.

In clearing Seedany, the sheriff said: “This is a very serious and anxious matter and in this case the allegations are uncorroborated.

“Obviously several allegations have been made here by members of staff at the care home and I have listened to all the evidence.

“I must say the police subjected Mr Seedany to a very full set of questions over a period of an hour and 40 minutes.

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“He spoke fondly of the residents and gave a good account of his history at the home.

“But having considered this case I think ultimately I was satisfied with the evidence given by the accused.

“I therefore find you not guilty of all the charges.”

Seedany‘s only defence evidence was a 100-minute police interview which was played to the court in full. During the interview the carer denied all the allegations put to him claiming he had no knowledge of any assaults on the residents.

Yesterday defending solicitor Kenneth Cloggie said staff at the care home did not follow the official whistleblowing procedures resulting in “issues of credibility” over their evidence against his 
client.

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The brief added the Crown’s only evidence came from the three young women who claimed to witnessed the assaults while on their own and that photographs of any injuries to the residents did not prove the actual cause of the injuries.