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A care worker was caught on hidden camera physically and emotionally abusing an "exceptionally vulnerable" autistic man.

Raja Khan abused Ollie Hopton at the Nursery Road Care Home in Hounslow in 2017.

As well as calling him a "lazy, lazy a***hole" the 29-year-old dragged him out of bed, poked him repeatedly and threw imitation punches at him.

Mr Hopton's mum Caroline Hopton had installed CCTV cameras in her 20-year-old son's room having had problems at a previous care home, Surrey Live reported.

(Image: Surrey Advertiser - Grahame Larter)

She first realised something was wrong when she spotted the carer dragging her son out of his bed through the cameras.

Between July and September 2017 Khan was spotted subjecting Mr Hopton to 11 instances of ill-treatment.

Reading a statement at Khan's sentencing on Friday, Ms Hopton said the abuse had left her son, who requires constant care due to his condition, "depressed, withdrawn and anxious".

She said: "Raja Khan wilfully took advantage of Oliver's vulnerability and committed the most heinous breach of trust by abusing and neglecting my son, behind closed doors, while in his care at London Care Partnership, now operating as Elysium Healthcare.

"When Oliver left the Nursery Road home, he was emotionally and mentally broken, as was I. The images of the abuse that took place will forever haunt me and literally broke my heart."

Since leaving the home Mr Hopton has recovered and is "thriving", according to his mum.

Ms Hopton added: "I finally have my son back, not just in person but also in spirit."

The concerned parent issued a warning to other people with family members in care.

"Abuse and neglect on those with autistic or learning disabilities and vulnerable people in general, is rife," she said.

"There needs to be reform among the whole care system because its a diabolical mess. The recruitment practices are very, very questionable.

"The care providers are so desperate with their staffing levels all the time so they seem to recruit anyone who comes along and perhaps aren’t suited to the care of vulnerable people.

"Sadly, this is like a money-making business for many providers, where all the money stays at the top and doesn’t filter down to the ground-level. This needs to change."

Ms Hopton has spoken publicly about the mistreatment of her son in a bid to highlight the issues in the care system.

At Guildford Crown Court Judge Rufus Taylor said Khan lacked training and supervision from his superiors, leaving him unable to "cope" with Mr Hopton.

He was sentenced to 12 months suspended for 18 months and ordered to do 250 hours of unpaid work as well as 30 days of rehabilitation activity.

Khan has also been banned from working with children and vulnerable adults.

Elysium Healthcare said: “The home concerned was not in our ownership at the time this occurred and therefore we cannot comment on the detail of the case.

"We absolutely do not tolerate abuse at any level. We work hard to make sure that we enrich the lives of all those who live in our services and we work openly and transparently with external bodies in providing a high level of care.”