A care worker has been sentenced to 90 hours unpaid work after he was found guilty of assaulting a 74-year-old man in his care.

Norman Smith, 55, of Elsenham Street, Southfields, was working at a Tooting nursing home on 26 May, 2008 and was wheeling the man into a communal lounge when the pensioner tried to get out of his chair.

Smith tipped him back but the man still climbed out and stood up holding on to Smith.

Smith then hit the elderly man on the side of his head, causing him to fall to the floor, and then grabbed his wrists from behind and dragged him along the floor into the lounge.

The man cried and shouted for Smith to stop and received several injuries including cuts and bruising to his legs.

Smith was sentenced at South Western Magistrates’ Court last Friday, January 16, following a police investigation.

Detective Constable Rachel Lumb said: “The victim was not able to give evidence in court due to his fragile state, but staff at the home gave statements and came to court.

“Smith abused his position of trust. The incident upset a lot of people at the home and now that he has been sentenced, they can put it behind them.”