Four Nigerians working as health workers have been jailed in Wolverhampton, UK after they were caught on camera physically and emotionally abusing an 89-year-old patient.

The elderly patient, who had vascular dementia and cannot speak, was at a Wolverhampton care home, BBC reports.

The family had noticed bruising on the woman’s arm after she had been in the home for a year while she had also become nervous and was scared to be touched.

According to the police, the victim’s family had secretly installed a camera in February 2020 and recorded footage over four days.

It showed the woman being handled roughly, hit with a pillow and treated with a lack of dignity and respect, West Midlands Police said.

When the abuse was reported to the home, three members of staff were immediately dismissed and three other agency staff were suspended.

Police said another two suspects were identified after the footage was reviewed. In total, eight care assistants were charged and four were found not guilty after a trial.

Tunkara, 33, of Walsall, and Adefila, 43, of Wolverhampton, were found guilty of ill-treatment and wilful neglect and sentenced on December 8 to four months in prison.

Ohen, 39, and Aideyan, 49, both from Wolverhampton, were also found guilty of the same offences and sentenced to six months and four months, respectively, on November 14.

Det Con Kathryn Sargent said: “This elderly woman sadly died in October and should not have spent any of her remaining years suffering such ill-treatment.”