By Ashlie McAnally

A CARE home has been fined £120,000 after a vulnerable resident got through a door leading to stairs where she fell and later died.

Mary Thom, 66, accessed the stairs through a doorway at Oakbridge Care Home that should have been kept locked.

Despite being advised by HSE that doors leading to stairs should have a keypad or something similar, the Knightswood home put universal locks on all but one door.

Mrs Thom fell "approximately one metre" when she got through the door that had been left unlocked on February 9, 2013 and tragically died from her injuries on July 9, that year.

Yesterday at Glasgow Sheriff Court, Oakbridge Care Ltd were handed the fine by Sheriff Paul Crozier after they admitted breaching health and safety.

He said the universal locks were “inadequate” and said it is “beyond his understanding” why the home didn’t act on advice given.

The sheriff said: “The company was aware of the particular needs of Mrs Thom and in my view failed to give those needs due regard.”

He added that Mrs Thom and her family “should have been able to confidently rely” on the home to provide a “safe environment to live her life”.

Mrs Thom was a resident at the home, on Great Western Road, from September 2011 and a care plan was in place for her including hourly observations.

She used a zimmer to walk and had to be supervised when on her feet because she was unsteady.

The court heard that in October 2011 the HSE pointed out to the manager that doors leading to stairwells should have a keypad or similar system to prevent residents access.

It was in relation to one particular door that did have a keypad fitted.

The following year there was a risk assessment at the area where Mrs Thom fell but the home fitted a universal lock instead of a keypad.

The area was regularly accessed and the court heard three members of staff used it around three times of the day of the incident.

It was later discovered the door had not been locked.