3 years jail for nursing home rapist

A Melbourne aged care worker who raped an elderly dementia patient has been sentenced to three years jail.

36 year old Henry Alexander was found guilty of raping an 85 year old woman at her Mount Eliza Nursing Home in 2005.

The court heard he raped the woman while washing her.

In sentencing Alexander, Judge Michael Bourke said the offending was a serious breach of trust of a most vulnerable woman.

But he said he believed it was a spontaneous event.

He found Alexander to be otherwise of good character.

He said Alexander was a devoted father to his two children and did not suffer from a psycho-sexual disorder.

Outside court a spokeswoman for the victim said the sentence was grossly inadequate and sent the wrong message to the community.

Alexander will serve a minimum of six months.