A CARE worker has been struck off after being found guilty of a catalogue of abuse and aggression towards elderly nursing home residents.

It was found that a dozen allegations against Kelso's Richard Usher of causing fear and distress to residents and other staff while employed at Lennel House in Coldstream were proven.

As well as swearing, shouting and acting in an aggressive manner, he held an excrement-covered pad inches away from a resident's face during shifts at the home, which caters for up to 38 pensioners.

Usher failed to appear before the Scottish Social Services Council last week in Edinburgh.

But he did deny all charges in a written statement, claiming he was a whistleblower who had made his own complaints about the working practices of the witnesses who has testified against him.

But his defence was dismissed by the Panel.

A spokeswoman responded: "It was satisfied... that there was little or no truth in your submissions and that these matters were, in any event, unlikely to have given rise to any of these witnesses fabricating allegations against you.

"The Panel was satisfied from the evidence of these witnesses that you had not, at any time, formally complained to your employer

about the working practices of your colleagues and that you had not made any report to your employer of abusive behaviour by either of them towards service users.

"The Panel also considered that your written submissions were extremely defensive and aggressive in both their tone and their content. They did not ring true."

The Fitness to Practise Panel heard evidence from a fellow care worker, a staff nurse and the care home manager.

And they told how Usher was guilty of multiple instances of verbal and physical abuse towards residents.

Following deliberations the Panel decided the allegations against him had been proven.

A spokeswoman for the Panel told Usher: "Your conduct placed service users at risk of physical and emotional harm."

Usher was removed from the Scottish Social Services Council Register.