A callous carer has been banned from working in the sector after dragging an elderly Perthshire resident into a dining room with no clothes on her bottom half.
Natasha Runcie went on to pin her terrified client down with a blanket at Meigle Country House, near Blairgowrie, during a night shift on July 23, 2021, after hearing the elder had raised a verbal complaint.
The embarrassed resident had been hauled through to the communal area against her own will while she was wearing just a urinary pad and a blanket.
While tucking the resident into her bed later that night, Runcie uttered to the vulnerable pensioner: “Did you tell anyone about me?” before tightly pulling the top corners of her duvet over her chest and throat.
When the resident said no, Runcie pulled the duvet tighter, threatening: “Are you sure?”
A hearing before the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) heard how Runcie’s petrified client thought that she was going to choke her and requested her doors and windows to be locked days after the terrifying ordeal took place.
The watchdog described Runcie’s conduct - which she denied - as abusive and frightening.
After the allegations were found as fact, the disgraced nightshift assistant was struck off from the care register for life.
The SSSC said of her manner: “You acted in a threatening manner towards AA [the resident in question], causing AA significant distress. It is noted that several days after the event, AA was still unsettled and requesting that the doors and windows be locked.
“She expressed that she thought you were going to choke her.”
Regulators identified that Runcie’s conduct was “highly serious in nature” - ruling that there was no evidence to suggest that she made poor judgement.
Instead, they concluded that the shameful carer had been acting in bad faith to get her client to retract the earlier complaint.
The SSSC hearing went on: “The behaviour gives rise to significant concerns about the values you hold and calls into question your suitability to be a member of a caring and responsible profession.
“There is nothing to suggest that you were acting in good faith or made a poor error of judgement.
“A reasonable inference can be drawn that you were acting in bad faith and were trying to get AA to retract her earlier complaint.
“As a result of the factors noted above, and particularly given the significant emotional distress caused to AA, the behaviour is highly serious in nature.”
The watchdog concluded that a Removal Order was the most appropriate sanction to maintain continuing trust and confidence in the social service profession.
A spokesperson from Meigle Country House added: “The care, safety and comfort of our residents and colleagues is of paramount importance to us.
“Ms Runcie was employed by our company at the time, however her employment ceased shortly afterwards.
“We have fully assisted the SSSC’s enquiries into the allegations, providing all information requested from our own internal disciplinary investigation for their hearing.”
The PA’s sister paper, the Daily Record, approached Runcie for comment.
