Graham Walsh, 74, was the primary carer of his mother, Lillian Walsh, at the time of her death on March 17, 2019.
Walsh and his 94-year-old mother lived together at their family home in Bury New Road, Ramsbottom.
More than five years on, Manchester Crown Court heard how in the weeks leading up to Mrs Walsh’s death, her son did not take proper care of her, with “blood, urine and faeces” found on her bed.
It was also found that Walsh, who called emergency services two days before her death, should have called them at an earlier date.
A trial was held earlier this year, but he pleaded guilty to two counts of neglect on the sixth day.
The case was heard at Manchester Crown Court (Image: Anthony Moss) Tom Sherrington, prosecuting, told the court how in 2017, Mrs Walsh was admitted to hospital after a fall.
She was then transferred to Elmhurst Care Home in May.
A “best interest” meeting was held for Mrs Walsh in December 2017 between the defendant and care staff, working out how best to move forward.
Mr Sherrington told the court that at the meeting they “agreed there would be a requirement for a care plan”.
A decision was made to discharge Mrs Walsh home, with specific information set out, such as a particular mattress to be sent to the house and plans for two carers to visit her four times a day.
But after a social worker left her role the care plan did not come to fruition, leaving Walsh to care for his mother. He did so throughout 2018.
On March 15, 2019, Walsh made a call to the emergency services, saying that his mother had “fallen” and he suspected she had “broken his leg” and that she had “pressure sores that he had been treating with cream”.
Mrs Walsh’s bed was said to be “dirty” and “lacked appropriate bedding”.
Walsh told the paramedics that she was suffering from dementia and had been “particularly confused” in the prior three weeks.
Mrs Walsh was transferred to North Manchester General Hospital.
Mr Sherrington said: “A doctor examined her and found that her Glasgow Coma Scale was a level 12, which means she would only open her eyes when shouted at.”
She also “did not appear to have been washed recently” and looked “very unkempt and thin”.
Doctors called the police out of concern for Mrs Walsh and Graham Walsh was arrested on March 16.
Mrs Walsh died on March 17, aged 94, but the court heard that Walsh’s neglect was not causative of his mother’s death.
The court heard medical evidence that she had “pressure sores” on her back, some of which had turned black.
Pressure sores come from long term pressure, which can be from lack of movement.
Other concerns about her health and hygiene conditions were raised.
The court heard that after Walsh’s arrest, he denied his mother had dementia to the police.
When shown a photo of his mother’s injuries, he said he “did not realise how bad it was”.
Damian Nolan, defending, highlighted the lack of social service involvement in Mrs Walsh’s care which was meant to be in place.
He referenced testimony from social workers, branding it a “sh*t-show.”
Mr Nolan said: “Instead of there being two district nurses visiting four times a day, other than a cursory knock at the door, no one returned to the house.
“The problems were because the case was closed down by the social services department.
“It never became clear why, other than Donna Aspinall (social services staff member) saying it should never have been done.
“That created the landscape in which this defendant, who was distracted by care for his partner, Beryl – he was trying his best in difficult circumstances.”
Walsh’s partner was suffering with cancer, who then died at the time that he had issues caring for his mother.
Mr Nolan highlighted how there was “no criminal culpability” regarding his care for Mrs Walsh, up until the period “shortly before she went into hospital”.
He spoke about the defendant’s “advanced years”, being 68 at the time of these offences and now 74, and that he does not have criminal tendencies, with only one previous conviction in the early 1990s.
Mr Nolan also highlighted a promise Walsh made to his father, which was not to let his mother die in a care home.
He emphasised how this clouded his judgement when deciding whether to call emergency services.
Judge Kate Cornell accepted these points, along with Walsh’s age and lack of relevant criminal convictions.
She said: “There are obvious failures of social care, but they do not excuse you, her son, taking responsibility of Lillian’s care.
“You chose to do it voluntarily, you have to live up to your responsibilities having taken them on.
“You are not a medical professional, but you don’t need to be to see the needs that Lillian had. You could have called 999, a GP, it is not rocket science, Mr Walsh, and you failed to do it.”
She added: “The pictures, for which we had to give the jury trigger warnings, were so obvious that they could not fail to indicate to any person that Lillian needed medical assistance.”
She sentenced him to a two-year community order.
Judge Cornell also ordered Walsh to undertake 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days and placed him under a curfew for nine months.
