The defendant, a personal care worker in a long-term care facility, pleaded guilty to assaulting an 87-year-old resident with Alzheimer's disease.
Video evidence from the victim's room showed repeated instances of rough handling, hair-pulling, striking, and other assaultive conduct occurring when other staff were absent.
The Crown sought incarceration, while defence counsel argued for a conditional sentence.
The court imposed a custodial sentence of 5 months followed by 3 years probation, finding that the gravity of the offence, breach of trust, and vulnerability of the victim required incarceration despite the defendant's good character and rehabilitation prospects.