Care worker accused of trying to murder two OAPs in hospital

A CARE worker is to stand trial charged with trying to kill two elderly patients at a hospital.

Calum Knox yesterday faced the allegations at the High Court in Glasgow.

The 29-year-old is accused of attempting to murder Ann Reid, 81, and Susan Reid, 73, in a ward at Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, in July last year.

Prosecutors claim he exposed each woman to the ‘risk of aspiration’.

It is alleged he placed Ann Reid on her back and ‘syringed’ liquid into her mouth. He is said to have removed the oxygen mask of Susan Reid five days later and poured liquid into her mouth.

The indictment states both women have since died.

Knox, of Ayr, faces a separate charge of neglecting each woman and three other elderly patients.

It is claimed that while ‘being a care worker’ he failed in a number of aspects.

This allegedly includes leaving the ward for ‘excessive periods of time’ as well as falsifying records and lying to senior staff in respect of his care of patients.

Knox also faces a further seven charges of assaulting OAPs. He allegedly attacked an 81-year-old woman at Crosshouse by poking her in the ribs. The other assaults are said to occurred at Windyhall Nursing Home in Ayr.

The pensioners, who have all since died, were aged between 86 and 95 at the time.

The claims include striking one man on the head, causing another to fall to the floor and spraying water in the face of a woman. The neglect charge includes claims that he failed to carry out checks on patients, as well as not giving them fluids and oxygen. One of the assaults at the care home is said to have involved a man being locked in a room, while a woman was allegedly pulled and had her clothes damaged.

The man said to have been hit on the head also apparently suffered other ‘blunt force trauma’.

Lorenzo Alonzi, defending, yesterday entered a not guilty plea on Knox’s behalf. He said: ‘I am in a position to have a trial fixed.’

Lady Scott set a trial due to begin next February, and Knox had his bail continued.

Crosshouse Hospital, run by NHS Ayrshire and Arran, serves Kilmarnock as well as north and east Ayrshire.