The employer of a care worker jailed for the attempted murder of a 90-year-old woman has admitted it was unaware of her violent criminal past.
Abosede Adeyinka was sentenced to 21 years in jail on November 2 for the attempted murder of Pamela Batten at her home in Lilac Place, Yiewsley , West Drayton .
The 52-year-old had befriended the elderly woman while caring for her husband, Ernest Batten, but returned to their home months after his death and brutally attacked Ms Batten.
Avant Healthcare, which employed Adeyinka of Hayman Crescent, Hayes , has now admitted that it did not know about a 1993 actual bodily harm conviction, despite routine Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) background checks.
Yiewsley hammer attack saga
Adeyinka broke into the pensioner's home and pushed her over before striking her on the head with a hammer at least twice.
The care worker also threw a knife at the pensioner, which went two inches into her neck.
Blackfriars Crown Court heard that Adeyinka had previous convictions for burglary and actual bodily harm as well as shoplifting and fraud, and was employed on a zero-hours contract with home healthcare provider Avant Healthcare.
Avant is understood to have contracts with Hillingdon , Ealing and Hounslow councils.
A spokesman for Avant Healthcare confirmed to getwestlondon that Adeyinka had been employed by the company on a zero-hours contract since February 2104.
A spokesman for Avant, speaking after her sentencing, said: "All the required statutory checks including DBS were made on her background and previous history and references were taken from previous employers and personal contacts.
"No issues were identified that would have precluded her from becoming a carer and there was no history of violence."
However, in a new statement issued on Wednesday (December 6), the spokesman said: "She went through a robust face-to-face interviewing process, and ISA and DBS check on her were carried out at that time.
"Abosede Adeyinka joined Avant Healthcare after working for over five years within the regulated care sector, providing care and support to children and the elderly where a DBS check should have been necessary. She was also a Sunday school teacher.
"Her references were checked thoroughly both verbally and in writing and were very positive and complimentary about her caring skills.
"Avant Healthcare was not aware that she had a conviction for actual bodily harm, committed in 1993 we believe, it was not identified on the DBS.
"We only became aware of this when it was revealed at the recent trial.
"What prompted her to carry out this attack is unknown and the elderly lady was not a customer of Avant.
"Avant is devastated by what has happened in this case and are fully committing to helping prevent any situation such as this occurring again.
"We welcome changes in regulations/guidelines to further reducing the risk of this happening again across all sectors in care."
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