Woman to lobby bank after fatal push kills her mum

Michelle Lopez says her mum, Myra Coutinho-Lopez, was her role model

The daughter of a woman with dementia who died after she was pushed to the ground in a bank said she was "stunned" staff did not intervene prior to the fatal shove.

Courtney Richman, 26, floored Myra Coutinho-Lopez, 82, after growing impatient with her in the queue at Lloyds Bank in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire.

The victim's daughter, Michelle Lopez, said she would campaign to ensure staff received dementia training after her mother's death in December 2021.

Richman was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment for manslaughter, suspended for 21 months, at Luton Crown Court on Friday.

She had denied the offence but was found guilty following a trial in February.

Myra Coutinho-Lopez was described by her daughter as someone who was "beautiful" and "looked after herself"

Mrs Coutinho-Lopez, who had Alzheimer's disease, died in hospital on 16 December 2021 - 10 days after she was pushed to the floor.

The trial heard the victim had forgotten she had withdrawn money three days earlier and caused a long queue to develop as she had an argument with a cashier.

Richman, who was in the queue, was heard to say: "Hurry up - people don't have all day."

The jury watched CCTV which showed Mrs Coutinho-Lopez swing her handbag at Richman, who then shoved her.

"It really shocked me when I saw that CCTV footage for the first time – I gasped with surprise," Ms Lopez said.

"I was stunned that could happen and the bank let it get to that. I believe the bank is equally to blame for what transpired on that day."

Courtney Richman denied swearing or shouting at the pensioner

Ms Lopez told the BBC that she would campaign to ensure bank staff received training on how to help customers with dementia.

"There has got to be something positive that comes out of such a disastrous situation," the daughter added.

She said staff showed "apathy and absence of empathy" as they stood by while the situation escalated when her mother was pushed.

Paying tribute to the 82-year-old, she added: "She was my role model, sometimes I aspire to be as strong as she was and that’s quite a high threshold."

Ms Lopez's comments came after judge Michael Simon said "a lack of understanding" by bank staff had allowed the situation to escalate.

He continued: "The court calls on the banking sector as a whole to ensure that all customer-facing staff are provided with dementia awareness training, which includes recognised strategies for interacting with customers who experience such difficulties and for defusing conflict."

Lloyds said it would consider the judge's comments and the evidence given during the trial.

A spokesperson for the bank said: "This is a very sad case and our thoughts continue to be with Mrs Coutinho-Lopez’s family."

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