Fake nurse guilty of sexually assaulting Bay Roberts retirement home resident

A man who faked his nursing credentials to obtaina job in a Bay Roberts retirement home has been found guilty of sexual assaulting an elderly man under his care.

Christopher Power, 44, was accused by a former colleague of fondling a sleeping resident, a man in his 70s, in August 2020.

The colleague, Jennifer Mercer, testified that she walked in on Power "giggling" as he touched the man's genitals while the victim lay on his bed one night. She told the court earlier this month that Power seemed to enjoy what he was doing, and that the man wasn't aware of the assault.

When Power noticed Mercer standing in the doorway, she said he appeared "startled" and quickly moved away from where he had been positioned.

Mercer said she confronted Power a few minutes later and reported the assault to police that night.

Power was a personal-care attendant at the retirement home at the time,in charge of dispensing medications to residents.

Judge Jacqueline Brazil told the Harbour Grace provincial courtroom Mondaythat she accepted Mercer's testimony, calling her a credible witness who was capable of directly observing the assault.

Brazil also noted in her decision that Mercer claimed no animosity toward Power, and that Power agreed in his own testimony that he wasn't aware of any ill feelings Mercer may have harboured for him.

Power has denied any wrongdoing, testifyingearlier this month that his colleague was mistakenand that he was in fact attempting to wake the resident to take his medication, rather than touching the man's genitals.

Power admitted, however, that he liedin his application for the personal-care attendant job atthe Bay Roberts Retirement Centre.

According to an agreed statement of facts, Power submitted a fraudulent criminal background check and claimed to holdtwo degrees in nursing that police later confirmed did not exist.

He pleaded guilty earlier this month to uttering forged documents, falsifying documents, and using the title of licensed practical nurse when not qualified to do so.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 7.

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