Norfolk carer who hit Cawston Park resident is jailed

Footage of Dami Tobi Ayan striking Ben "Buster" King twice in the face has been released by Norfolk Constabulary after Ayan was jailed for nine months.

The 62-year-old appeared at Norwich Crown Court for sentencing on Wednesday having previously admitted ill treatment or wilful neglect of a person without mental capacity.It related to the care he gave to Mr King, 32, from Aylsham, who had Down's Syndrome and learning difficulties, at the Cawston Park private hospital where Ayan worked in July 2020.

Mr King, who died later the same day from a cardiac arrest not linked to the assault,  was "man-handled" by Ayan who pushed and dragged him down by the arms before hitting his head with an open hand.

The CCTV released by police shows Ayan looking up and checking no-one else is around before hitting Mr King again with the back of his hand. 

Simon Connolly, prosecuting, said Mr King was admitted to Cawston Park Hospital in 2018 after his mother became unable to care for him after she was diagnosed with a life threatening condition.

Mr Connolly said Mr King, who went from 13 stone to 19 stone during his time at the hospital was "completely dependant on his carers for going to the toilet and eating due to a risk of choking.”

The court heard Ayan had been “intimidating” towards Mr King in his time at Cawston Park.

Mr King had defecated in his bedroom and spread faeces around before being moved to another room at about 5.50am, on July 29 2020.

At around 7am he was found unresponsive and pronounced dead later that day.

Mr Connolly said it was the coroner who requested police review footage of the CCTV in the lead-up to him becoming unresponsive.

Mr Connolly said: “It begins with him (Ayan) pushing Ben forwards in the seat.”

The court heard Mr King was naked in the chair.

Mr Connolly said Ayan then pulled the victim “forward by his arms” before “going out of sight of the camera” before coming back in.

The prosecutor said with Mr King now on the floor, Ayan then “raises his right arm” and hits him with his open hand.

Mr Connolly said as Ayan did that he “looked back” towards where the camera was as if he was aware he “must’ve been seen”.

During the police investigation, witnesses told officers Ayan would regularly shout abuse at Mr King and be intimidating, calling him ‘baby’, and saying he was ‘disgusting’.

Ayan, of Kensington Place, Norwich, who wore a blue jacket and white shirt in the dock when he was sentenced.

The court heard a statement from Mr King's mother, Gina Egmore, who said Ben “was my life” and “not just my son but my best friend”.

“The day I turned my son's life support off was the day my life stopped too."

His mother said it haunted her that Mr King had "all his dignity taken from him".

She has been "deeply affected" by the fact her son was so scared "he soiled himself".

"I feel broken this could happen in a so-called hospital by a carer," she added.

Jailing Ayan Judge Andrew Shaw said: "The message must go out to those that are supposed to care for the most vulnerable in our society that if you ill-treat them the court will impose condign punishment".

He said "this tragic case" focused on the "last hour" of the life of Mr King who was "completely dependent on his carers for everything".

Judge Shaw said there was a "total absence of empathy and dignity" in the way Ayan had treated Mr King.

Andrew Oliver, mitigating, said Ayan had behaved inappropriately towards someone who was "vulnerable" and was "sorry he let him down in the way he acted".

He said he has expressed his "great disappointment" in how he acted and wanted to apologise.

Ayan was also barred from working as a carer.

Cawston Park Hospital, which used to be run by Jeesal Group, is no longer open.

Detective Inspector Sam Pontin said: “Ayan was in a position of trust and was meant to care for Ben who was extremely vulnerable and had limited means of protecting himself.

"This trust was abused and it’s important Ayan faces justice for this.”