A Nigerian caregiver, Bilikesu Olagunju, 42, has been convicted in the United Kingdom after shocking CCTV footage revealed her violently manhandling an 88-year-old dementia patient, John Attard, during a home care visit on Christmas Eve 2022 — just days before the pensioner died.
Olagunju, who was employed by Unique Personnel UK and had been on the job for only six days, was caught on video physically and verbally abusing Mr. Attard during a 45-minute visit to his home in Bexley, Kent. The harrowing footage, recorded by a camera installed by the victim’s son, Chris Attard, showed the carer stripping the frail pensioner, dragging him across the floor, threatening to “flog” him, and ignoring his repeated pleas that she was hurting him.
John Attard, a great-grandfather who suffered from dementia, was found unresponsive by his son the next morning — Christmas Day — with blood running down the side of his face. He was immediately rushed to the hospital but remained unresponsive and died ten days later.
Though a post-mortem examination could not conclusively link Olagunju’s actions to the cause of death, the Attard family strongly believes the abuse contributed to his rapid decline. At Woolwich Crown Court, Olagunju pleaded guilty to one count of ill-treatment or willful neglect of an individual while acting in a caregiving role.
Despite the gravity of the offense, the court sentenced her to six weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months, and ordered her to complete 50 hours of unpaid community service. The sentence sparked outrage from the victim’s family, who described it as grossly inadequate.
Chris Attard, speaking after the hearing, called the punishment “an insult,” expressing disbelief that such abusive behavior could result in what he viewed as a lenient sentence. “If those cameras had not been there, that person could still be out there treating elderly people like this,” he said. “What kind of a deterrent is that?”
During the trial, prosecutors detailed the events of the incident, which began at 11:20 a.m. when Olagunju arrived at the house with the duty of washing Mr. Attard and preparing his breakfast. Instead, she began yelling at him to stand, and when he fell, she struggled to dress him, pulling off his clothes in full view of the street through a nearby window.
The footage showed Olagunju dragging the elderly man by the arm and collar across the living room floor and forcing him upright in a manner described as “rough and degrading.” At one point, she called her employer to report that Mr. Attard was on the floor and was advised not to move him but to call an ambulance. Olagunju ignored this guidance and continued to physically handle him.
The court also heard how she mocked and taunted the victim throughout the ordeal, including squeezing marmalade into his coffee despite knowing he was diabetic, and repeatedly threatening violence.
“Maybe I’ll beat you up. I’ll flog you,” she is heard saying in the footage. “Take you to the GP to get injections. I’ll call the police on you.”
The video also captured Mr. Attard clearly in pain and distress, repeatedly saying, “You are hurting me.” His son described the anguish of watching the footage, stating that his father looked like “a rag doll” and that his face was “distorted” in pain.
Prosecutor James Benson described Olagunju’s conduct as “brusque, inappropriate, and uncaring,” adding that she “played on her victim’s vulnerability.” He noted the abuse included both physical roughness and verbal cruelty, further stating that she had shown a complete disregard for Mr. Attard’s condition and dignity.
Chris Attard, delivering an emotional victim impact statement in court, said he discovered his father unresponsive on Christmas morning, and their home was later declared a crime scene. He said, “This was the morning after he was physically and verbally assaulted by the very person entrusted to care for him.” Although the autopsy could not directly tie her actions to his father’s death, he believes Olagunju’s treatment played a role in the deterioration that followed.
He described his late father, who had five children, 11 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren, as “kind-hearted, generous, compassionate, and funny,” and said he had still been enjoying life before the incident.
Addressing Olagunju directly, he said: “An autopsy could not link your actions to his death but I feel personally that your actions, in part, contributed to his sudden death.”
The case has sparked renewed discussions in the UK about elder abuse, caregiver accountability, and protections for vulnerable individuals receiving in-home care. While Olagunju’s employment has since been terminated, critics say the case highlights the need for stricter oversight and stiffer penalties in cases involving abuse of the elderly.
