Avola Humphreys denies all eight charges against her

Avola Humphreys, 61, denies killing William Pettener by force feeding him, and seven other assault charges.

An ex-colleague at Bodawen nursing home in Porthmadog told Caernarfon Crown Court how she pushed a man to the floor and would not allow him to get up.

Each time he crawled, the court heard that Ms Humphreys would pull his hair.

Elizabeth Watson, who has been at the Bodawen home for 10 years, was the latest worker to give evidence at the trial which began on Monday.

She told the jury that it was 86-year-old Alzheimer's sufferer Eric Cartwright who had fallen victim to the matron when he wanted to use the toilet.

But, she said, Ms Humphreys said he was to sit on his chair.

After she accused the matron of pushing Mr Cartwright, she told the hearing: "He was falling on top of me and I tried to guide him down on the floor," Mrs Watson claimed.

Elizabeth Watson had worked at the home for 10 years

"She said 'leave him on the floor.' Every time Eric crawled on his knees to try and get back on the chair she would pull him back down by the hair. It would have been about two or three times. Eric was telling her 'leave me alone, get off'."

Mrs Watson said Ms Humphreys then dragged him across the sun lounge by his dressing gown.

In another alleged incident involving Mr Cartwright a few days before, the jury was told that he had become distressed when told by Ms Humphreys that he could not go to the toilet.

Mrs Watson said every time he went to stand up, she pulled his hair and he had three large scratches on his head. He was so desperate, she added, that he wet himself and, again, Ms Humphreys shouted at him.

'Load of nonsense'

The care assistant told the court that she had been frightened of Ms Humphreys.

Defence barrister Thomas Teague QC alleged that Mrs Watson strongly disliked Ms Humphreys who used to tell her off but she denied she was trying to get her own back on Ms Humphreys.

Mr Teague put it to her: "It's all a load of nonsense start to finish."

She replied: "No it's not".

The trial heard earlier this week how a care assistant saw Ms Humphreys force-feed 94-year-old Mr Pettener, who choked and died.

Ms Humphreys denies the manslaughter of Mr Pettener, who was originally from Lancashire, and assaulting residents, Eric Cartwright, 86, Mary Wilson, 96, Michael Thomas, 70 and Gwen Evans, 87, between September 2003 and May 2004.

The trial continues.