A CARE home worker accused of scalding a disabled resident has been cleared by a jury of inflicting grievous bodily harm on the man.

Mathew Smith, 24, wept as he left the dock following the ordeal of a three-day trial at Teesside Crown Court.

Mr Smith had been accused of lowering Trevor Morris, 53, into the scalding water knowing the risk of injury.

But the jury was told today that they had to decide whether Mr Smith had been reckless or negligent in not checking the temperature before the incident in October 2003.

Mr Morris, a wheelchair user who had cerbral palsy, epilepsy, was partially paralysed and had communication problems, died of bronchopneumonia in April last year, but his death was not connected to the scalding.

The prosecution did not claim Mr Morris was deliberately harmed, but alleged Mr Smith, who was trained in safe bathing procedures in his two-and-a-half months at the home, acted recklessly.

Mr Smith, of Whinchat Close, Stockton, admitted he failed to properly check the temperature of the water, but told police: "I didn't do it intentionally."

The jury took just one hour to clear Mr Smith, and afterwards he told The Northern Echo: "I am just glad the truth has come out."

Mr Morris suffered life-threatening injuries - 18 per cent to 20 per cent partial thickness burns to his hips, legs, feet and groin area.

Prosecutor Alan Taylor had earlier told the court that the temperature of the bath at the Elm Ridge Residential Home in Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough, was 50 degrees Centigrade - above the normal level of 41 to 42.

Signs next to the baths in the home reminded carers of what the temperature should be, and it was normal procedure for staff to test it with a thermometer.

After the case, a sobbing Mr Smith said: "I am sorry for any grief I have brought to Mr Morris's family, but people can see now, no matter how much the truth is twisted, that what happened was a mistake and not deliberate.

"I have been judged by my peers in court and I am just relieved it is all over now."