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Brother blasts care home death shame
THE heartbroken brother of a man whose death led to a manslaughter probe has hit out at the care he received.
Peter Giles, 56, died while at the Abbeycroft Care Home in North Shore.
The death of the decorated former military man led to care home manager Kathleen Vitturini being charged with manslaughter.
That charge was dropped last week after Vitturini, 61, of West Drive, Cleveleys, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of wilful negligence.
Mr Giles, a former Montgomery High School pupil, died of pneumonia in 2004 after being placed at Abbeycroft suffering from Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's.
His brother Ken today told how the former Army man alarmingly lost two stone in 10 days while at the home.
He also claims a report into Mr Giles' death revealed he had at times been left in soiled clothing for up to 12 hours.
He said: "We came back from a holiday in the Caribbean and couldn't believe it.
"When we went away Peter was well and probably weighed about 11-and-a-half stone.
"We went away for 10 days and came back and I thought he was dead.
"He had lost about two stone, his tongue was black and I did a 'pinch test' on his hand which showed he was dehydrated.
"Something obviously went drastically wrong."
In 2003 social workers placed Mr Giles into the care of Vitturini, at the Abbeycroft at Carlin Gate.
By September 2004, Mr Giles' condition was worsening quickly and detectives said it was the speed and extent of that deterioration which was at the centre of the police investigation into his death.
Officers felt Vitturini had failed to meet her responsibility in providing appropriate care and staff who could notice his worsening condition.
Mr Giles claimed: "If Peter had a bad day and couldn't get up, they (staff) would not bring him a drink.
"I think the attitude was that if he wasn't going to come down for it, they were not going to take it up.
"He had a radiator in his room which would not switch off and I came in one day and there was a big patch of sweat on the bed like a shadow.
"I took him a fan after that.
Vitturini, it was revealed during last week's court hearing, spent only one and a half days a week at the home.
She will be sentenced on Tuesday May 20 at Preston Crown Court.
Abbeycroft Care Home has now closed.
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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