An 81-year-old whose “cruel” carer was jailed after being caught on camera abusing her cannot be left alone because she is “traumatised,” her daughter has said.
Louise Harris was given a three-month sentence after CCTV filmed her drunkenly screaming “I hope you die in your sleep… you horrible cow” at Elizabeth Anne Shipton in Pontardawe, Neath Port Talbot.
Elizabeth’s daughter Tracy Faram Shipton called Harris’s actions “horrific” and said her sentence for ill treatment and criminal damage was “laughable”.
Despite this, the family is unable to appeal against it as, under the unduly lenient sentence scheme, external, the attorney general can only refer specific qualifying crimes to the Court of Appeal.
Harris, 42, was filmed on the family’s video surveillance system, which was originally installed so Tracy and her brother could monitor their late father John in case he fell while caring for Elizabeth.
She had originally been charged with attempted robbery, a crime that qualifies for appeal, but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropped that charge.
“Mum can’t be left on her own at all now,” Tracy added.
A CPS spokesman said: “We keep all cases under review and on this occasion concluded that our legal test was not met, as there was insufficient evidence to prosecute the defendant with attempted robbery and theft.
“We have written to the victim to explain our decision in more detail.”
