Nurse denies dragging elderly patient by ankles

Mr Campbell, 49, denies grabbing the 88-year-old patient by the body and "forcibly" pulling her across a floor

A woman has told a court that she saw a nurse drag an 88-year-old patient along a hospital corridor by the ankles.

Claire Wright, 33, alleged she was drying her grandmother's hair in a room in Gartnavel Hospital when she saw Steven Campbell holding the pensioner.

Mr Campbell, 49, denies grabbing Jessie Colquhoun, 88, by the body and "forcibly" pulling her across a floor.

Prosecutors allege the assault took place in the Glasgow hospital on 18 October last year.

During evidence at the city's Sheriff Court, Claire Wright said: "I saw Steven pulling a woman along the floor."

'Pulling a woman'

Ms Wright became emotional when she was asked to identify Mr Campbell in court.

Her sister Debbie McGrath, 34, also testified that she saw the woman being dragged and denied any suggestion that she could be mistaken.

In evidence, the sisters told how Mr Campbell had allowed them to dry their grandmother's hair outside visiting times.

They described being in a room with glass in the window that allowed them to see into the corridor.

Prosecutor Angus Crawford asked Ms Wright to describe what she had seen.

The witness replied: "I saw Steven pulling a woman along the floor by the feet."

Miss Wright clarified that she saw the woman being held by the ankles, and was pulled into a room while she lay on her back.

Mr Crawford asked the witness what distance she estimated that the patient was pulled over: "Maybe a metre and a half", she replied.

The witness also thought the woman was in her 70s and was wearing black trousers.

Ms Wright - who said she used to work in the care sector - said she later phoned the care commission to note her concern and was advised to contact the health board.

'Dragged'

Miss McGrath claimed she saw Mr Campbell, who is from Cardonald, pull the woman by the ankles.

She said: "My sister looked at me and said 'Oh my god', she said 'Look'.

"I stepped over and looked and was like 'Oh my god', just saw an old woman being dragged along the corridor by the ankles'."

The witness thought the female patient was in her late 70s or 80s, and pointed out Mr Campbell as the person who had dragged her.

Mr Campbell's colleague, Archibald Ferguson claimed he was constantly monitoring Ms Colquhoun, who has dementia, because she had been aggressive to staff earlier that day.

He said he walked a couple of paces behind her in the corridor as she walked towards her room, then moved in front of her to ask her to go for her dinner.

'Dropped her weight'

Mr Ferguson claimed she punched out and tried to hit him with her zimmer but he grabbed both wrists to stop her, and she wrestled with him.

The witness said Mr Campbell was alerted by the disturbance.

He said: "At that point Steven came to assist me, we took an arm each which was standard procedure when escorting patients in to their room.

"The patient herself, put herself on to the floor, just dropped her weight."

He claimed she kicked out about two or three times and he turned round to open the lady's door.

Mr Ferguson said: "Steven had put his hands down on her shins, to hold her legs down to stop kicking me."

He said Mr Campbell "just sort of slid her through the doorway".

The trial continues.