Support worker allegedly leaves disabled employer in shower and steals wallet

Mike Pulman says he was robbed by his carer while he was in the shower. Photo / Jeremy Ward, www.shot360.co.nz

A disabled Hamilton man says he is $400 out of pocket after his support worker allegedly left him stranded in the shower to take money out of his bank account.

Mike Pulman, who was born with spinal muscular atrophy, told the Herald the incident occurred after a disagreement over pay.

Pulman uses a wheelchair and relies on support staff to do everything for him, including preparing his meals, feeding and showering him.

He said he was being showered last Friday by his carer when the man claimed to have worked an extra 16 hours and demanded to be paid for them.

"When I said no, he threw the shower hose at me and left me completely naked in the shower. Lucky my girlfriend was home, she was outside.

"He got my wallet and bank card, got my van keys, drove my van to the ATM and transferred the money he thought he was owed into his account.

"He came back and threw the wallet at me and was like 'I've got my money now'."

Pulman told the support worker - an independent contractor - what he did was illegal and ordered him to leave his house.

He reported the incident to police.

A police spokesperson told the Herald they had received a complaint and were investigating.

The support worker could not be reached for comment.

In the days after the incident, Pulman said the worker contacted him in an attempt to get his job back.

"He said he was going to go to the Ministry of Health and accuse me of falsifying my invoices to make them look like they were higher to get more money.

"He threatened me ... he said he would do that unless I gave him his job back," Pulman said.

Pulman receives a disability support package from the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Social Development to hire his own support workers. The support worker had come recommended by a friend and worked with Pulman since January.

While there was a big push to give people more control over their money and services, Pulman said there needed to be more support.

The incident had left him with a mixture of "anger and fear".

"As advocates for disabled people, we often hear of this sort of abuse happening to others in our community, but it isn't until it happens to you that you realise how frightening and vulnerable the experience can be.

"I've thought a lot about what I could've done differently that day, but when you break it all down, I was attempting to have that difficult conversation with an employee, and sadly it went very sour and ended in just about the worst way possible."