One of the staff of Aras Attracta has been sentenced to four months in prison for assaulting a vulnerable resident of the care home.

Caroline Crawford, Western Correspondent for the Irish Independent, was in Ballina District court, and she spoke to Newstalk Lunchtime today to detail the case.

She stated that today the verdict was handed down in the case of four members of staff and the sentencing of the fifth. The judge found all four who had pleaded not guilty, guilty of the assault charges that they were facing.

Patrick McLoughlin, a clinical nurse manager with an address at Lalilbella, Mayfield, Claremorris, was given a four month custodial sentence and she also directed that he should pay €1,000 into the personal fund of the resident that he had assaulted.

Mr McLoughlin was accused of sitting on the lap of the intellectually disabled woman.

Ms Crawford continued that in the case of three other members of staff, they may be able to serve community service instead of a custodial sentence. They have all also been ordered to pay money to the victims of the residents that they assaulted.

You can listen back to the details here: