The care home where a staff member punched and slapped vulnerable elderly men has said it is 'pleased' now he has been jailed.

Sedigh-Rahnama, 45, attacked four men aged 61-75 at Kitnocks House in Curdridge, near Botley, and was jailed at Southampton Crown Court for the abuse.

Some of it was caught on a covert camera installed by a concerned colleague. The abuse took place between June 1 and July  31 in 2022.

READ MORE: Southampton care worker attacked patients at Hampshire care home

A spokesman for Kitnocks House, run by Cornerstone Healthcare Group, said: "We are pleased that the court has now taken appropriate action and handed down a custodial sentence.

"There is no place for such behaviour when dealing with vulnerable adults and we hope that this person is never able to work in the care profession again.”

The spokesman said a staff member followed whistleblowing procedures. He said residents' welfare is paramount and the home took immediate action in suspending Sedigh-Rahnama, while also reporting the matter to police and running its own investigation.

The disgraced carer, of Botley Gardens, Southampton, was jailed for 15 months after admitting four charges of of ill-treatment or wilful neglect by a care worker.

A county council spokesperson said: "Kitnocks is a private nursing home, and independent of the County Council.

"Individuals who live there are funded by a number of local authorities, as well as the NHS.

"As the home is in Hampshire, we are the local safeguarding authority, and as such we worked closely with the management team at the home, the NHS and the Police to coordinate the safeguarding of residents and support the actions taken by the home as soon as they were aware of the concerns.”