A CARE home has been fined £60,000 after a pensioner with Alzheimer's died after falling down stairs behind a door that should have been locked.
Margaret Young, 83, was discovered hours after she was reported missing, at the bottom of stairs in Kinning Park Care Home on September 28, 2015.
She was rushed to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital but died on October 12 from her injuries.
It was later discovered the door Mrs Young was able to access had a fault and didn't close properly when left ajar.
The care home on Mair Street pleaded guilty at the city’s Sheriff Court to a charge under the Health and Safety at Work Act by failing to make sure a door in the home was kept locked on September 28, 2015.
Sentencing the company today, sheriff Alan MacKenzie said: "On that date the failure of the closing mechanism had tragic consequences."
He added: "In an environment where Margaret Young, at her age and with her particular vulnerabilities, ought to have been safe, it is evident that she experienced a horrific accident which ultimately led to her death."
Mrs Young was found lying at the bottom of a set of stairs “with a head wound”.
The pensioner was taken to hospital but developed aspirational pneumonia and died on October 12.
Since the incident a small corridor with the door to the boiler room where she was found is now out of bounds to residents and a fault in the door was discovered.
Miss Jamieson said another lock has also been added to the door since the incident.
Defence counsel Gavin Anderson said the company “apologises unreservedly”.
He added: "Had the company known of the flaw prior to the incident, it would unquestionably have implemented this simple fix promptly upon being made aware."
Lawyer David Wilson, who his helping some of her family pursue a civil action against the care home said it was a “tragic and avoidable incident”.
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