People affected by a court case which saw a former care home manager given a suspended sentence after two patients died of neglect today (Monday) called for a social services inquiry.

Angela Postill was given a 15 month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after she admitted endangering, by wilful neglect, the health or life of two elderly residents at Carnarvon Lodge Residential Care Home in Clacton.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard on Friday how she was obsessed with ensuring residents drank enough and ordered staff to make the frail pensioners swallow so much their hands and legs became distended.

The police investigation which led to Postill's prosecution cost £56,000 in officer time.

Keith Fifield, whose late mother, Eunice, was named as being neglected in the home, said he felt justice had not been done.

Mr Fifield, 41, said he was extremely disappointed.

"I'm just so disappointed and it is social services I need answers from now. I do not feel my mother's death has been answered," said Mr Fifield.

His calls for answers were also echoed by Abigail Ireland, 19, who worked at the home when she was 16.

She claims to have rung Essex Social Services six months before the home was raided.

"I do not feel the sentence was fair and I feel I wasn't listened to because I was young," she said.

Maria Clover, the former deputy manager at the home who called in social services following continued concerns about the way the home was run, said the verdict was not a shock for her.

"I was not surprised by the verdict. I knew two weeks ago when the judge said she was not being held responsible for the deaths that she would probably not be jailed."

And she said she hoped there would now be an inquiry into the way social services handled the matter.

Duncan Howell, social services' operational support manager, said: "We've already undertaken a review of the case and we were satisfied that what we did was timely and appropriate."

Mr Howell said complaints were made which were not directly connected to the the concerns which led to the closure of Carnarvon Lodge adding: "It's not the sort of thing you would ever anticipate."

He said at any one time there are dozens of investigations taking place in Essex.

By Lauren Spurgeon

Reporter's e-mail: lauren_spurgeon@thisisessex.co.uk

and

Laurence Cawley

Reporter's e-mail: laurence_cawley@thisisessex.co.uk

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