Langlees care worker left elderly residents in soiled and distressed state for months

Lesley Sneddon, 62, even denied an elderly woman access to toilet facilities.

Sneddon appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday having been found guilty of wilfully neglecting elderly people in her care on May 14, 2020 and between January 1, 2020 and October 23, 2020 at addresses in Airth and Grangemouth.

The charges stated Sneddon refused to provide a 72-year-old man personal care and left him in a soiled state, causing him distress. Another stated she failed to provide a commode for an elderly woman and repeatedly spoke to her in a derogatory manner.

Sheriff Alison Michie, who found Sneddon guilty after trial, heard she had lost her employment with the care centre where she worked and had not been in employment since.

Lynn Swan, defence solicitor, said both complainers in the charges had both sadly passed away during the criminal proceedings.

Sheriff Michie noted Sneddon, 10 Dunning Place, Langlees, continued to deny committing the offences.

She said: “That was your position during the trial. The offences are serious matters – both of the complainers were elderly and housebound and were left in a distressed state.

"The behaviour persisted over 10 months and you displayed a complete lack of compassion to people you were responsible for providing care for.”

She also noted this type of employment would not be available to Sneddon in the future and placed her on a community payback order with the condition she complete 250 hours of unpaid work within 12 months.