Avola Humphreys denies all charges against her

Iola Ffoulkes Morris said Eric Cartwright, 86, had been tied with a dressing gown belt and tights.

Avola Humphreys, 61, ex-matron at Bodawen Nursing Home, Porthmadog, denies seven assault charges and killing Bill Pettener, 94.

Ms Morris is one of a group of workers at the home to give evidence this week.

The care assistant also alleged the defendant had pulled the elderly man's hair, and that she had seen red marks on his head.

But when cross-examnined by Thomas Teague, QC, defending, she agreed she had not seen the hair-pulling.

Earlier, Heidi Pugh Jones, also a care assistant at the home, told the court she had heard Ms Humphreys swear when referring to Mr Cartwright.

Mrs Pugh Jones said she later saw two scratch marks on the pensioner's head but, when she checked the home's record, no explanation of the cause had been entered.

Earlier this week, another former colleague told how she had seen the matron force-feed Mr Pettener, a retired engineer originally from Ormskirk, before he choked to death.

Another said Ms Humphreys had pushed an elderly man to the floor after an argument and dragged him along.

The defendant also allegedly cut a female patient's lip when she forced a spoonful of food into her mouth.

Ms Humphreys denies the manslaughter of Mr Pettener and assaulting Mr Cartwright and also assaulting Mary Wilson, 96, Michael Thomas, 70 and Gwen Evans, 87, between September 2003 and May 2004.