Three care workers who bullied and tormented elderly dementia sufferers at a Lancashire nursing home have been jailed for a total of 17 months. The judge blamed "a lack of proper management" for the culture of abuse at Hillcroft nursing home.
Hillcroft nursing home residents were mocked, bullied and tormented by four care workers because they would have no memory of the abuse.
One man had his foot stamped on deliberately, another was nearly tipped out of his wheelchair and the vulnerable victims were pelted with bean bags and balls at their heads "for entertainment."
In November, Carol Ann Moore, 54, Katie Cairns, 27, and Gemma Pearson, 28, were found guilty by a jury at Preston Crown Court of ill-treatment or neglect of a person who lacks capacity.
Darren Smith, 35, from Lancaster, admitted ahead of the trial eight counts of ill-treatment in which he threw bean bags or balls at eight residents of Hillcroft nursing home in Slyne-with-Hest, Lancaster.
All the offences spanned from May 2010 to September 2011 and related to seven men and one woman, all aged in their 70s or 80s - the eldest was aged 85.
Julian Cadman, who is thought to have dual British-Australian nationality, became separated from his mother who was injured in the attack.
Wayne Rooney and his wife Coleen are expecting their fourth child, the couple have announced.
As the silence came to an end the crowd began to applaud and people shouted "I am not afraid!" in defiance of the attacks.