Prana Das: Call to review care home trial decision

Prana Das was attacked in his home in September 2012

Evidence in Wales' biggest inquiry into alleged care home neglect should be reviewed following the death of the man at the centre of it, an MP says.

It was launched in 2005 after the death of an 84-year-old woman, and involved 75 police officers over seven years.

Prana Das never faced trial after sustaining serious brain damage in a burglary at his home in 2012.

Wayne David said his death in January raised questions about what should happen next.

After the attack, a judge ruled that charges Dr Das faced following the £11.6m inquiry should be left on file, and the case did not proceed.

It was also agreed at the same time that the chief executive of the company owning the care homes, Paul Black, should not face trial alone - and charges against him were also left on file.

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Dr Das owned two of the homes which were investigated as part of the inquiry, and once owned 25 care homes in south Wales.

The police investigation, known as Operation Jasmine, was launched after the death of Gladys Thomas.

Mrs Thomas, a patient at Bryngwyn Mountleigh nursing home in Newbridge, was admitted to Newport's Royal Gwent Hospital after being given incorrect doses of medication. She later died.

Pressure sores

A nurse at the home admitted neglect on the basis of not administering the correct medication.

Eight carers and nurses were charged with wilful neglect relating to injuries on her body but the prosecution dropped the case three weeks into the trial in 2008.

More than 100 potential victims were identified as part of the inquiry and police took more than 4,000 statements.

One woman was found to have developed pressure sores that exposed her bones.

A review in 2015 criticised the decision not to continue the prosecution of Dr Das.

"It's important to recognise that the case wasn't closed, it was simply left open," argued Mr David, the Labour MP for Caerphilly.

"Now Dr Das has passed away, I think an assessment has to made whether or not it's possible to continue with a trial against one of the defendants, Mr Black.

"I'm not a legal person, I haven't seen all the evidence and I don't know how strong the cases are.

"But it's important, I think, for us to have closure as far as possible by having a proper review of the evidence which is available so a decision can be taken whether to proceed with a trial or not."

Edward Donovan and Rhiannon Gibbons were jailed for 15 and 10 years respectively for the attack on Dr Das and his wife

Charges were brought against Puretruce Healthcare Ltd, Dr Das - who was one of the company's directors - and its chief executive Mr Black in relation to the care received by people living at Brithdir Nursing Home in New Tredegar.

They were brought as a result of Operation Jasmine which saw Gwent Police investigate six care homes in south Wales, identifying 100 alleged victims.

In September 2019, inquests were opened into the deaths of four people who were cared for at care homes run by Dr Das.

Pre-inquest hearings took place into the deaths of Dorothea Hale, Evelyn Jones, Stanley Bradford and Edith Evans.

They died at two homes - Ms Hale at Bargoed's Grosvenor Nursing Home and the others at Brithdir.

'Open trial'

"It must be extremely difficult for the families," added the Caerphilly MP.

"There's a proper assessment through the coroner's process taking place at the moment but I think all the families would like closure of this whole business and the best way to do that is to have an open trial and there has to a very good reason why a trial may not take place.

"Personally I think that would be the best way forward and justice would be seen to be done."

Gwent Police and the Health and Safety Executive, which led the investigation into allegations of neglect, said proceedings were "unlikely to recommence".

"Although the charges remain on file and under review, with the passage of time, the focus is now in the coronial process," said an official.

"[The coroner] is of the opinion that although charges are on file and subject of judicial proceedings, in the absence of a trial and considering the public interest, relevant information will be disclosed for the coronial proceedings."

Operation Jasmine

• Home Office review launched in 2005 into alleged neglect at care homes in south Wales following the death of 84-year-old Gladys Thomas

• Mrs Thomas was given incorrect doses of medication and later died

• A nurse at the home admitted neglect on the basis of not administering the correct medication

• Eight carers and nurses were charged with wilful neglect relating to injuries on her body but the prosecution dropped the case three weeks into the trial in 2008

• Following the inquiry, Prana Das faced charges relating to neglect and fraud at two care homes he owned - Brithdir Care Home in New Tredegar, near Bargoed, and The Beeches in Blaenavon

• After he suffered a violent assault by burglars, the trial against him was shelved in 2013 but the charges against him remain on file

• More than 4,000 statements were taken and 100 potential victims were identified