A MILLIONAIRE has slammed Social Services after his elderly mother, who he says is perfectly sane, was sectioned and put in a care home – costing the taxpayer thousands of pounds a month.

Dorothy Brown, aged 82, is “a nuisance and eccentric” according to his son, but he disputes medical claims she has dementia.

Mrs Brown was originally removed from her home in Churchinford and sent to a psychiatric ward in Cheddon Road, Taunton, for two months before Christmas.

She was allowed home for a fortnight, but has since been sent to a home for people with dementia, with the bill footed by Somerset County Council.

Julian Brown said: “I live in Germany and my brother lives in New Zealand, and the first we heard about it was from one of her friends.

“It seems she pressed the Piper line emergency system too often and a doctor signed a form so that she got locked up.

“She’s a nuisance and eccentric and needs help, but she is not mad.

“She reads the newspaper every day and holds a good conversation, but she gets anxiety at night.

“The family has money and we could afford to pay for her to be in a home, but Social Services won’t let her leave where she is – it’s like she’s their baby.

“I’ve offered to take her to Germany to be looked after, but they won’t allow it.

“Her nearest family are 1,000 miles away and it seems she’s stranded somewhere she shouldn’t be for the rest of her life – and it’s costing the taxpayer a fortune.”

Social Services would normally inform the closest relative practicable if someone was sectioned and carries out ‘best interest’ assessment before deciding whether clients should be moved to a new home.

A spokesman for Somerset County Council said: “We do not comment on individual cases, but we work closely with individuals and their families to help them live independently wherever possible.

“There may be times when a person has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act and it is legally not possible to charge the individual for their care.”