Woman on care home assault charges

A WOMAN has appeared in court accused of carrying out a number of attacks on pensioners at a care home in the Capital.

Valerie Stone, 49, appeared at court yesterday and is alleged to have assaulted three pensioners aged between 76 and 79 at Braid Hills Nursing Centre at the city's Liberton Drive.

One of the charges alleges she pushed a 79-year-old man on to a bed and lay on top of him. Another allegation accused her of seizing a 76-year-old woman by the body and pushing her on to a chair.

She is also accused of pulling two pensioners along a corridor.

Stone is further alleged to have hit a female employee on the body.

She faced a total of 12 allegations when she appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, which included several breach of the peace charges alleging that she shouted and swore at the pensioners.

The alleged crimes were said to have happened between 1 July, 2009, and 15 January this year, all at the nursing home.

Stone, of Glendinnig Crescent, Edinburgh, denied the charges against her.

Sheriff John Horsburgh QC released her on bail on the conditions she does not enter the home, contact residents or employees and does not seek or gain any work involving providing personal care

.