The care home where a cruel carer giggled while taunting and poking a helpless elderly woman with dementia has spoken out after she walked free from court.
Shocking videos showed Valentina Baghiu ignoring her victim's pleas to leave her alone and threatening her with a clenched fist.
Baghiu, 23, worked at Birch Tree Manor, in Port Sunlight, when she abused 83-year-old Elizabeth Ann Mernock, known as Ann.
Two clips revealed how Baghiu told the pensioner "f*** you, you old bat" and "hell will become of you, I'll sweep you up, you're going to get it".
A spokesman for Birch Tree Manor Care Home said: “We are saddened and disappointed that these incidents occurred in our home and worked with the relevant authorities throughout to bring this prosecution.
"The health and wellbeing of our residents is our number one priority and this episode is not a reflection on our outstanding and dedicated staff."
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Christopher McMaster, defending, accepted the case was "profoundly unpleasant and inexcusable", adding his client "did not offer any excuses".
He said Baghiu was in her early 20s, had "limited training, was inexperienced and at that time was working 12-hour shifts - sometimes working 29 days out of 31 in a month".
Mr McMaster added: "She was inexperienced, under trained and overworked."
But the spokesperson for Birch Tree Manor Care Home responded to this, saying: "We dispute Ms Baghiu’s allegations regarding her working patterns and training and do everything we can to ensure that our staff maintain the highest possible standards.”
Magistrates sent her case to Liverpool Crown Court because they felt their sentencing powers were insufficient, because they could only impose six months in jail.
But the judge, Recorder David O'Mahoney, who could have jailed Baghiu for up to five years, handed her six months in prison, suspended for 18 months.
That was after he was told "remorseful" Baghiu had a young son in Romania, who she supports financially, and is now pregnant.
ECHO readers said they "sympathised" with the elderly victim and shared their feelings that Baghiu's sentence was too lenient
Joyce Webster said society needed "proper sentences".
While Becky Bassnett said: "Is there actually nothing punishable these days?"
And Jane Heaton said: "I wonder if the judge would have been so lenient if it was one of his parents in that care home."
Baghiu, formerly of Borough Road, Tranmere, admitted ill treating or wilfully neglecting a person lacking capacity.
Her abuse came to light in December 2019, when Wirral Adult Social Care Services received an email containing two video clips saying they were from the home and suggesting a carer there should not be working with vulnerable people.
Baghiu, who has no previous convictions and now lives in Warren Road, Warrington, was assisted by an interpreter.
