Brutality inflicted on 90-year-old Ipswich dementia sufferer by her carer is revealed

The bruising caused by Kerridge Muriel Munro's lower thigh (Image: Archant)

Muriel Munro’s family believe the mother, grandmother and great-grandmother must have been “scared stiff” of Dorothy Kerridge, who lived with her in Caithness Close.

Yesterday Kerridge was jailed for three years at Ipswich Crown Court after being convicted of two counts of actual bodily harm.

Even now she refuses to admit she assaulted Mrs Munro.

After the 56-year-old, of West View, Kelsale, near Halesworth, was jailed, Mrs Munro’s son Michael said of his mother: “She must have been scared stiff. She was a very gentle person.

Dorothy Kerridge (Image: Archant)

“It’s been a nightmare for us. The last few weeks for mum must have been a nightmare because she couldn’t express herself.”

Speaking about Kerridge, Mr Munro said: “At the moment I could never forgive her. If she had admitted it, it would have helped.”

The family said although Mrs Munro had said she was being mistreated, at first they had concerns about what she was saying because of her dementia. Kerridge, her 24-hour-a-day carer, also denied assaulting the pensioner.

Mr Munro said he feels Kerridge basically groomed his family into believing her by discrediting his mother.

Muriel Munro (Image: Archant)

However, Mrs Munro’s family became increasingly concerned after finding her glasses and false teeth were broken.

Nicola, one of Mrs Munro’s grandchildren, was the one who raised the alarm.

She said: “My nanny told me she (Kerridge) hit her. It is hard because my nanny was my world. I did believe her but I couldn’t understand that someone could do such a thing to be honest.

“When we did come to see nanny she didn’t really say a lot. It was the evidence of the bruises I took pictures of which made me think ‘something’s going on here’.

“I basically said ‘I’m going to get her (Kerridge) out of there.

“I couldn’t have my nanny having the last few years of her life without knowing if she was being hit or not.

“The fact she (Kerridge) could do it to someone else’s nanny haunted me. I couldn’t let anyone else go through what my nanny did.”

During Kerridge’s sentencing her counsel, Roger Thomson, said: “Clearly hitting an elderly lady is unforgiveable. The difficulty looking after anybody is there are times when one does get to the end of your tether.

“It is quite difficult looking after a lady in Mrs Munro’s condition.”

Judge John Devaux said: “It’s clear Mrs Munro spoke out a number of times about the abuse perpetrated against her. It’s likely she would have been in fear of further attacks.”

During Kerridge’s trial the jury heard Mrs Munro - who had died in the interim - had described her as a “cruel lady.” Mrs Munro was found to have bruises on her face, arms, ears and the soles of her feet while Kerridge was employed as her carer between November 2012 and February 2013.

She had lived in Caithness Close for 66 years and had previously been employed by the Co-op and Footman Pretty.

Miss Munro, a widow, was a mother of two, a grandmother of three and had seven great-grandchildren.