Carers' not guilty pleas over death
Two carers from Stourbridge and Birmingham have pleaded not guilty to causing the death of a man who died while he was visiting North Devon.
Barbara Arch and Wendy Silvester denied manslaughter when they appeared before Judge Francis Gilbert, QC, at Exeter Crown Court yesterday.
The two women were both carers looking after Andrew Strazdins, who is from the Midlands, when he died on May 19, 2014, while staying at Broadwoodwidger, near Lewdown, North Devon.
Arch, aged 57, of Smallshire Way, Stourbridge, and Silvester, 48, of Newland Court, Birmingham, are accused of manslaughter through gross negligence while they had a duty of care.
The full charge reads: "As carers you owed a duty of care to ensure Andrew Strazdins was fed in a safe manner.
"You fed him, or allowed him to be fed in a manner which was dangerous and in breach of your duty of care and amounted to gross negligence and was substantially responsible for his death."
Judge Gilbert released both women on bail and said the case is likely to be tried by a High Court Judge at either Exeter or Bristol Crown Court at a date yet to be fixed.
