Birkenhead care worker cleared of assault

Dec 12 2008 By Matt Hurst

Roman Ciesielski

A POLISH care worker employed at a Birkenhead care home has been cleared of racially assaulting a German Jewish stroke victim.

Roman Ciesielski, of Sycamore Road, Birkenhead, stood accused of pushing Alzheimer's sufferer Mario Wagener, causing him to bang his eye on a bed rail at Emmanuel Care Home, on April 19.

The court was told the 25-year-old said: "He's not English.

"He comes from Germany - Polish people hate Germans."

But Mr Ciesielski maintained he discovered Mr Wagener in the morning with his face on the rail, pillows on the floor and his eye already bruised.

A jury at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday took four hours to reach a majority verdict.

But the jury failed to reach a verdict in relation to another count of assault against another patient at the home, Bill Adams, 86.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has a week to decide whether it will pursue a retrial.

Speaking outside court, Mr Wagener's wife of 50 years, Lilian Wagener said: "As a German Jew, my husband escaped the death camps with his father and became financial editor of the Wolverhampton Express and Star.

"He had a great intellect.

"I've accepted the verdict and I spoke to Roman to say that my husband would have cried with the Polish people through the Second World War."

An Emmanuel Care Home spokesman said: "We note the verdict of the court in relation to Mr Wagener.

"We acted properly and quickly to bring this to the attention of the authorities."