A BALLINGRY family has spoken out about the horrific abuse that their vulnerable mum suffered at the hands of her “evil” carer.

The woman, an 88-year-old suffering from advanced Dementia and a resident at Benore Care Home in Ballingry, fell victim to 22-year-old Liam Stark, who assaulted her and also made a recording while mocking her. He was working as a senior carer at the time.

Now, 19 months later, Stark no longer works at Benore, and last week he appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court where he admitted charges of assault and breach of the peace.

The woman’s son, who reported the incident to the police, has spoken out to condemn the actions of the man who was trusted to look after his mum when she was at her most vulnerable.

He told the Times: “We had received a call - well my brother received the call - saying that Benore had requested we go to the home, that they wanted to speak to us urgently.

“We went up and they told us that our mum had been abused.”

Feeling disgusted that their mum could be treated in such a way in a place where she was supposed to be safe, he went to the police.

“I just found it hard to digest,” he said. “I couldn’t take it in. We got the phone call, we went up, and we got told that a male carer had assaulted our mum; but it was me that went to the police, it wasn’t them.

“I went to the police and then I had an appointment with the CID officer who was in charge of the investigation.”

The son continued: “The whole family is horrified that someone who was working there, as a senior carer, could have done something like that to a vulnerable 88-year-old woman.  

“We tossed and turned about putting my mum into care but, with all of us working, it was just impossible for us to look after her through the day. It was a hard decision for us to put her into Benore, and we weren't expecting somebody as evil as that to be working in there."

The woman's dementia has progressed to a stage where she no longer recognises her own children.

Speaking about his mum’s condition, her son said: “She doesn’t recognise us, she recognises us as a friendly face but that’s it. She couldn’t say that we are her sons or daughters.

“I can walk into the room and she’s all happy then I could walk out and come in a couple minutes later and she doesn’t know that I've been in. That’s how bad her dementia is now.”

While the abuse took place 19 months ago, even back then she was unable to speak out and advocate for herself, and her condition has only continued to deteriorate.

He continued: “When we would go and visit her, she was upset sometimes and wouldn't talk to us, and we don't know if that was all part of the abuse.

“Other times we would go in and she was all over the top of you, holding you, she wouldn't let you go.

“Things play on our mind now, and you think is that the reason she was doing this and that, there were even times when she was trying to get out, so I don't know if this has all played a part.“

Speaking about Stark, the victim’s son added: “I honestly can’t put into words how I feel about that man. If that was how he carried on, then he should never have been in the job.  

“I’d like to thank the police and CID for managing to get him into court.  

“It’s just unbelievable that there’s people walking amongst us that’s capable of things like that. “

Stark is due to return to court on February 20 for sentencing.