Carer who filmed dementia patients should be in prison - Burrows

Ulster Unionist leader Jon Burrows has written to the Director of Public Prosecutions calling for a review of the sentence handed down to a senior nursing assistant who took and shared "demeaning" videos of dementia patients.

Ciara Corvan, 28, from Cathedral View in Armagh, was sentenced to two years' probation and 100 hours of community service after admitting offences relating to patients at the Bluestone unit of Craigavon Area Hospital in 2023.

Corvan took and shared videos of patients with advanced dementia, including a video of a patient in a bath, accompanied by comments deemed offensive.

BBC News NI has contacted the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) for a response.

In May of this year Corvan pleaded guilty to seven charges against four victims which included a video of a patient in the bath, another of a patient in bed and another with her nose almost touching one of the patients.

Police said her prosecution was the first of its kind for Northern Ireland, in terms of the ill treatment of patients through degrading photography, videos and commentary.

Speaking to BBC's Nolan Show on Tuesday, Burrows described the details of the case as "disgusting" and said he had sent a letter to the DPP to explore the unduly lenient sentence mechanism that allows for a case to be sent to the Court of Appeal for review of a sentence.

"We all need to know that the most vulnerable people in our society - and there is no-one more vulnerable or voiceless than someone with dementia who needs to be bathed and cared for - are protected," he said.

"When they are abused, when they are degraded, and when that abuse is shared on social media, anyone found responsible for that should go to prison."

Burrows said it was important "a proper benchmark be set for this".

"I want everybody in our society to know that while the vast majority of people who look after our vulnerable people do so in an exemplary way with diligence and care, that if anyone lays a finger on them, abuses them or degrades them then they should face one thing and that is prison," Burrows added.

"The person who did this - in my view - should be in prison and that should be the message that goes out to Northern Ireland."

In a joint statement following sentencing on Monday, the families said they were "saddened by the seeming lack of morals in this social media generation".

They added that they hoped the sentencing made people "think about their conduct online and how they treat people".

"Please stop and think – if that was your mother or father, how would you want them to be treated?"

Speaking earlier on Tuesday on BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme, safeguarding expert Marcella Leonard said the families' statement showed the deep hurt the individual's actions had caused to their extremely vulnerable relatives.

Leonard said the details of the case and the families' statement highlighted the dangers of technology and social media, and reiterated the need for adequate training and supervision for those working directly with vulnerable people.

"Harm may not always be physical, and I really want to emphasise that taking images of people without their consent and sharing them around can be just as harmful and long-term damaging," she added.

On Monday, a Southern Trust spokesperson said the organisation was "deeply sorry for the actions of an employee" and fully recognised "the distress this situation caused".

They said patient safety remained the "highest priority" and that all staff were expected "to always uphold the highest standards of care and professionalism".

They added that as soon as this incident came to light, it was reported to their adult protection team for "prompt assessment and action, including engagement with the Police Service of Northern Ireland".

The trust said it "took immediate steps to remove the staff member from duty as part of the agreed protection arrangements".

"Family members were informed at the earliest opportunity, and the trust has provided ongoing support to families throughout this investigation."