Sunday Life can reveal that disgraced Lynn Sheridan, who is an ex-member of Ards District Policing Partnership, has been working for Peninsula Business Service as an advocacy case worker.

Mrs Sheridan, who formerly ran a residential nursing home, was found guilty of professional misconduct following an investigation in 1996 by the UK Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting which found her guilty of hitting and mistreating residents.

The remit of her new job includes visiting care homes whose owners are currently engaged in tribunals with staff.

Part of her job is to discuss tribunal cases with owners, obtain case documents and take witness statements from staff.

But her appearance in a number of local care homes in recent months has caused anger among staff and residents.

Said one care worker: "She is the last person we expected to see coming into care homes again.

"Everyone knows about her past and when she comes to speak to the owners, the residents are terrified of her because of what she did in the past.

"It may have happened in the past, but people don't forget. She may have moved into a new job, but people will always remember her for abusing old people."

A spokesman for Peninsula, who claims on its website to provide health and safety management systems for companies to operate safe workplaces, confirmed that Sheridan was one of its employees.

Added the spokesman: "Peninsula Business Services is fully aware of Lynn's background and this issue is wholly unconnected with Lynn's work for our company.

"Lynn is legally entitled to enter any nursing home. This matter would only be of relevance if Lynn was employed to provide care for residents or, indeed, have contact with residents, which is not the case. Lynn has our full support and we would back her right to attend any of our clients at their premises as part of her role as an advocacy case worker in order to discuss any ongoing tribunal cases.

"Lynn is a well respected, professional member of our advocacy team, who is highly successful in her role in preparing and resolving tribunal cases for our clients."

In 1996, Mrs Sheridan was herself at the centre of an investigation by the professional conduct committee of the UK Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.

At that time she ran the Dunluce Residential Home in Donaghadee, Co Down, and was also a member of the Eastern Health Board's Registration and Inspection Advisory Committee.

But after the longest running disciplinary hearing in UK history, she was found guilty of professional misconduct in nine of the 11 charges against her.

The proven charges included:

l Smacking a resident and making her stand in a corner until she stopped crying.

l Striking another resident a number of times on the face and shouting at her in an abusive manner.

l Making a resident stand naked in a corner of her bedroom as a punishment while bathing another resident.

Mrs Sheridan, who denied all the charges brought by the professional body, was forced to sell the Dunluce Residential Home and later declared bankrupt.

Her long-standing membership of the Ulster Unionist Party was also terminated a year later, although the party refused to say exactly why she was expelled.

Mrs Sheridan (45) was described in her application to the Policing Board as " an office manager from Donaghadee".