A Sydney aged care worker who used a shoe to hit an 82-year-old man with dementia has been jailed for at least four months.
Prakash Paudyal pleaded guilty in December to two counts of common assault (domestic violence) after two separate attacks were caught on a hidden camera at the Bupa Seaforth facility between August 26 and September 3 in 2018.
In Manly Local Court on Wednesday, the 36-year-old was sentenced to eight months behind bars with a non-parole period of four months.
Ayda Celine speaking outside court. Source: SBS
The victim's daughter said she is overwhelmed they "finally got justice", and "wouldn't even think twice" about planting a camera again.
"We're finally standing up for the elderly," Ayda Celine told reporters outside court.
"Australia isn't going to put up with any violence or abuse and this just proves ... we've set, sort of, a mark now, that you can't get away with it."
According to the agreed facts, she became concerned about her father's treatment and placed the hidden camera in his room, disguised as a photo frame.
"As the victim has deteriorated, he has lost the ability to speak and understand English and finds its hard to communicate with facility staff," the facts state.
"The victim has the ability to speak fluent Arabic to his family during private conversations."
When changing the man's clothes, Paudyal hit him multiple times with a shoe and roughly pulled him by the shirt.
In another incident, Paudyal's actions caused the man to fall to the floor from his bed.
"The victim cries out attempting to soften his landing by placing his right hand on the bed," the facts state.
Paudyal, meanwhile, can be heard making loud noises before pointing at his victim.
He then proceeds to strip the bed as the old man remains lying on the ground.
Paudyal's victim was diagnosed with dementia in 2015 and placed into care in 2017.
The operator of the care facility issued a statement in September after Paudyal was charged.
"Bupa takes the safety and wellbeing of its residents seriously and we are shocked and saddened by what has occurred at our Seaforth care home," it read.
The company also confirmed Paudyal had been dismissed as an employee.
He is banned from working in the aged care industry.
