Bristol faeces-strewn house neglect case woman sentenced
A woman who left her dementia-suffering grandmother alone in a house full of animal faeces has been sentenced for neglect.
Paula Davidson, 41, had recently taken over as primary carer for 90-year-old Betty Long, who died in September 2017. Police entered the house in Ashton Drive, Bristol shortly before Mrs Long's death to find her alone, bruised, and on an overflowing commode. Davidson was given a 12-month suspended sentence at Bristol Crown Court. She pleaded guilty to ill-treatment and neglect of a person who lacks capacity. The court heard Davidson had taken over caring for Mrs Long from a firm provided by the local authority. Davidson was reported to be often out socialising in August and September 2017, leaving Mrs Long on her own for lengthy periods of time. Police officers and paramedics gained entry to the "dirty and untidy" property by force in September. They found 10 cats and two dogs on the property and animal faeces all over the floor, the court was told. Mrs Long was sitting on an "overflowing" commode in a downstairs room. There was no food in the house and Mrs Long was "badly bruised" with pressure sores on her heels, lower back and spine. Paramedics removed her from the property and she died shortly after of bronchial pneumonia and late stage dementia. Davidson's defence said she was suffering from mental health issues. Judge Euan Ambrose described it as an "unusual and sad case", and told Davidson she had "failed to provide an adequate level of care to replace that which had previously been provided". He described Davidson as "a picture of distress" and noted the "inadequacies" in her care of Mrs Long did not "cause or contribute" to her death.