Antrim woman to stand trial over care home ill treatment and neglect

Paul Higgins

An Antrim woman charged with the ill-treatment of three mental health patients in a residential care home will go on trial in the New Year a judge ordered on Tuesday.

A prosecuting lawyer told Antrim Magistrates Court that as there are four civilian witnesses as well as police officers to testify, the contest of 29-year-old Tracey Balantine “could take some considerable time.”

Balantine is charged with six counts of the ill-treatment “or wilfully neglecting” three patients, a man and two women, at the Broadacres Residential Unit in Templepatrick on dates unknown between 31 December last year and 1 April this year.

The particulars of the charges allege that Balantine ill-treated or wilfully neglected the patients “who was for the time being subject to your guardianship under The Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 or was otherwise in your custody or care.”

Balantine, from the Garden Village in the town, is also accused of common assault of the male complainant.

District Judge Oonagh Mullan scheduled the contest for 23 January next year.