Sex-act shame of carer caught on camera

A “DISGUSTING” sex act carried out by a care worker in front of a man with mental health problems, was watched by his horrified family after being secretly filmed.

Martin Greaves, who was supposed to be looking after the 30-year old man with a mental age of only five or six, committed the act while watching a live video feed on his laptop of a couple having sex.

Completely unknown to him, the man’s family had installed a spy-cam in the Oldham home because of concerns about the standard of care he had been receiving.

Ironically, Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court was told those concerns had not involved Greaves. Lisa Boocock prosecuting, said the man’s sister was the first to see the shocking video when she checked film footage to see if anything untoward had been happening.

She alerted other members of the family, they immediately went to the brother’s address, and social services and police were called in.

Jailing him for 18 months, judge Jonathan Geake told him after viewing the video in private: “This was a most disgusting breach of trust, and a thoroughly unpleasant act committed by you.”

The court was told that the man Greaves (45) had been carer for had a progressive mental illness and needed 24-hour support.

He was unable to vocalise whole sentences, nor was he able to express emotions, particularly when distressed.

When Greaves was arrested after the incident on February 3, he said he had had the laptop to download films, and came across the internet site.

He said he had believed the man to be asleep at the time.

Adrian Farrow defending, said Greaves, of Gaskell Rise, Oldham, was guilty of one of the most unusual offences to come before the courts.

He said his client had re-trained to become a care worker after being made redundant from his previous job.

He described it as rewarding and meaningful work, and said: “The tragedy for him is that his training has now gone to waste, and he has lost his employment.”

He went on: “The shock and disgust felt by the man’s family apply equally to Mr Greaves who is devastated by what he has done.

“The installation of covert cameras was entirely unknown to him. He did not know that his actions would be observed, and expresses sincere regret that they were seen by the man’s family.”

The court was told that Greaves, who pleaded guilty to sexual activity while working as a care worker in the presence of a person with a mental disorder, had never previously been before the courts.

Judge Geake said it was difficult to assess whether the victim had been upset by what had happened, because of his condition.

He told him: “You have hung your head in shame throughout much of these proceedings, and you say you are extremely sorry for what you have done, but there is no alternative but prison.”

Greaves, whose partner is said to be standing by him, will be on the sex offenders’ register for seven years, and have to notify police of his whereabouts.