By Prosper Mene
A shocking incident involving a Nigerian-born carer, Bilikesu Olagunju, was filmed violently mistreating an 88-year-old dementia patient, John Attard, just days before his death. The abuse, captured on a hidden camera installed by the victim’s son, occurred on Christmas Eve 2022 at Mr. Attard’s home in Bexley, Kent, where Olagunju had been employed as a care worker for only six days.The distressing footage, presented at Woolwich Crown Court, showed Olagunju, 42, stripping the frail pensioner, dragging him by his arm and collar, and ignoring his repeated cries of pain. At one point, she threatened, “Maybe I will beat you up. I will flog you. I will take you to the GP to get injections. I will call the police on you.” The video also revealed Olagunju pouring marmalade into Mr. Attard’s coffee, despite knowing he was diabetic, further endangering his health.On Christmas morning, Mr. Attard was found unresponsive by his son, Chris Attard, with blood streaming down his face. He was rushed to the hospital but never regained consciousness, passing away ten days later. While a post-mortem examination could not conclusively link the abuse to his death, Chris Attard firmly believes the trauma contributed to his father’s sudden decline. “If those cameras had not been there, that person could still be out there treating elderly people like this,” he said, describing the lenient sentence as “an insult.”Olagunju, employed by Unique Personnel UK, pleaded guilty to one count of ill-treatment or willful neglect of a person lacking mental capacity. She was sentenced to a six-week prison term, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to complete 50 hours of unpaid community service. During the hearing, Olagunju expressed remorse, with her lawyer citing her lack of proper training and recent arrival in the UK as mitigating factors. However, Judge Charlotte Welsh emphasized that the absence of training did not justify her actions, stating, “Your actions are evident of your failure to treat Mr. Attard as a person deserving of as much dignity and respect as the rest of us.”Chris Attard has since turned his focus to the care agency, accusing Unique Personnel UK of negligence for assigning an inadequately trained carer to a vulnerable client. “They should have been in the dock alongside Olagunju,” he said, vowing to expose the company’s shortcomings.The case has reignited calls for stricter oversight and mandatory training in the care industry, with many pinpointing the need for better safeguards to protect vulnerable individuals.
