A HEARTLESS carer who attacked three dementia sufferers in a nursing home has dodged a prison sentence.

Helen McCracken, 60, was previously found guilty of assaulting the women at the Three Towns Care Home in Stevenston, Ayrshire.

She slapped one resident on the head, seized another woman twice by the hair and pushing her onto a toilet before striking a third on the head with her hand in June and July 2015.

During her trial at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court back in September, horrified colleagues told how they saw McCracken lash out at the women - who were in their 80s - when they would not co-operate with her.

Sheriff David Hall found McCracken guilty of the charges and warned her she could face a custodial sentence.

McCracken was living in Kilwinning but has since moved to Stevenston, according to her solicitor, due to the "bad publicity" caused by her actions.

On her return to the dock today (Friday, October 28), defence solicitor Gregor Forbes told Sheriff Hall that McCracken accepted the finding of the court.

Mr Forbes said McCracken was "responding to a situation" but conceded that she behaved in a "wholly inappropriate manner".

None of the victims suffered any injuries but Mr Forbes admitted it would have been "distressing" for the residents.

McCracken is now on benefits after losing her job at the nursing home and now faces being struck off as a carer.

The court heard how McCracken spent 16 years in the care profession after spending 21 years working in a betting shop.

Mr Forbes said: "These are serious matters and that's accepted. I fully appreciate that this is a matter that could result in a custodial sentence.

"But given her age and previous good record it's my submission that this is a case you could deal with by way of a direct alternative."

When passing sentence, Sheriff Hall said: "You were convicted after trial of four charges. You assaulted three residents in the Three Towns Care Home where you were employed.

"These ladies were elderly and vulnerable and you treated them in the course of your employment exceptionally badly.

"It's a serious matter, I have considered the terms of the social work report and a custodial sentence was at the forefront of my mind here.

"In addition, during the trial your former colleagues were all extremely distressed not only by your behaviour on the days in question but the whole court process and they are to be commended for giving their evidence in the way that they did.

"Taking all factors into account, including your age, your previous good record and the likelihood that you'll never work in this type of field again, I believe I can deal with this with a non-custodial disposal."

McCracken was sentenced to two years supervision, 200 hours of unpaid work and handed a three-month tagging order keeping her indoors between 7am and 7pm.

These were imposed as a direct alternative to a custodial sentence.