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| Whorlton Hall: Panorama 'sexed up' carer abuse report | Whorlton Hall: Panorama 'sexed up' carer abuse report |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Whorlton Hall in County Durham has closed since the 2019 Panorama documentary | Whorlton Hall in County Durham has closed since the 2019 Panorama documentary |
| Documentary makers "sexed up" claims that staff at a secure hospital were ill-treating patients, a court heard. | Documentary makers "sexed up" claims that staff at a secure hospital were ill-treating patients, a court heard. |
| Nine former staff at Whorlton Hall, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, deny 27 offences arising from an undercover BBC Panorama film in 2019. | Nine former staff at Whorlton Hall, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, deny 27 offences arising from an undercover BBC Panorama film in 2019. |
| Prosecutors said defendants showed "contempt" for and mocked patients. | Prosecutors said defendants showed "contempt" for and mocked patients. |
| In their closing arguments, lawyers for some of the defendants said the accused were "doing their best" in "challenging circumstances". | In their closing arguments, lawyers for some of the defendants said the accused were "doing their best" in "challenging circumstances". |
| Undercover reporter Olivia Davies spent 38 days posing as a carer at Whorlton Hall, a 17-bedroom secure unit for people with complex needs. | Undercover reporter Olivia Davies spent 38 days posing as a carer at Whorlton Hall, a 17-bedroom secure unit for people with complex needs. |
| Prosecutors said clips shown to the jury showed the various defendants mocking, taunting and threatening patients. | Prosecutors said clips shown to the jury showed the various defendants mocking, taunting and threatening patients. |
| 'Simply being firm' | 'Simply being firm' |
| Matthew Banner, a former newspaper delivery man turned carer, faced six charges including that he "threatened" a woman who preferred to have female carers, saying that male ones would come to her room if she did not calm down. | Matthew Banner, a former newspaper delivery man turned carer, faced six charges including that he "threatened" a woman who preferred to have female carers, saying that male ones would come to her room if she did not calm down. |
| The court heard the woman, who had autism, would scream for lengthy periods as staff tried to calm her down. | The court heard the woman, who had autism, would scream for lengthy periods as staff tried to calm her down. |
| Stephen Constantine, Mr Banner's lawyer, told jurors his client did say during a screaming episode that more male carers would come to the woman's room but he was "simply being firm". | Stephen Constantine, Mr Banner's lawyer, told jurors his client did say during a screaming episode that more male carers would come to the woman's room but he was "simply being firm". |
| Mr Constantine added: "He was telling her of the consequences if she didn't return to the acceptable level. | Mr Constantine added: "He was telling her of the consequences if she didn't return to the acceptable level. |
| "You're dealing with a man who is doing his best in particularly challenging circumstances," Mr Constantine said. | "You're dealing with a man who is doing his best in particularly challenging circumstances," Mr Constantine said. |
| "Was Matthew Banner being cruel and abusive? Was he trying to antagonise or threaten [the woman]? How could it possibly be in his interest to do so?" | "Was Matthew Banner being cruel and abusive? Was he trying to antagonise or threaten [the woman]? How could it possibly be in his interest to do so?" |
| He said during Ms Davies' time at the hospital, there were 50 incidents of "minor violence, aggressive threats and minor self harm" involving the woman and jurors would have to decide if the "snippets of short clips" selected by Panorama did "really reflect the truth of what was going on there". | He said during Ms Davies' time at the hospital, there were 50 incidents of "minor violence, aggressive threats and minor self harm" involving the woman and jurors would have to decide if the "snippets of short clips" selected by Panorama did "really reflect the truth of what was going on there". |
| 'Thought crime' | 'Thought crime' |
| Jonathan Walker, representing Sara Banner who faces three charges, referred to the "thought police" in George Orwell's novel 1984 who used "undercover agents posing as normal citizens" to "walk amongst us reporting any individuals with subversive tendencies". | Jonathan Walker, representing Sara Banner who faces three charges, referred to the "thought police" in George Orwell's novel 1984 who used "undercover agents posing as normal citizens" to "walk amongst us reporting any individuals with subversive tendencies". |
| He said the author would have shown a "wry smile" at the discussions between Ms Davies and Panorama producers as they "sexed up this dossier" and exercised "moral authority" while "scrutinising hour after hour [of footage] to criminalise the mundane and totally meaningless chat between these bored defendants". | He said the author would have shown a "wry smile" at the discussions between Ms Davies and Panorama producers as they "sexed up this dossier" and exercised "moral authority" while "scrutinising hour after hour [of footage] to criminalise the mundane and totally meaningless chat between these bored defendants". |
| Mr Walker said the recordings of conversations in which staff used swear words and inappropriate language was "careless and meaningless chat amongst bored colleagues". | Mr Walker said the recordings of conversations in which staff used swear words and inappropriate language was "careless and meaningless chat amongst bored colleagues". |
| He said his client was "forthright" and "confident" and while she was "probably not built for the diplomatic service" she was "really good" at her job at Whorlton Hall. | He said his client was "forthright" and "confident" and while she was "probably not built for the diplomatic service" she was "really good" at her job at Whorlton Hall. |
| 'Difficult situation' | 'Difficult situation' |
| Josh Normanton, representing nurse Karen McGhee, said she was "doing her level best at coping with tough situations Whorlton Hall would throw" at her and her prosecution was a "mistake". | Josh Normanton, representing nurse Karen McGhee, said she was "doing her level best at coping with tough situations Whorlton Hall would throw" at her and her prosecution was a "mistake". |
| He said the only criticism she could face was that she was inexperienced in a "heavy duty" job and was doing the work managers should have been doing. | He said the only criticism she could face was that she was inexperienced in a "heavy duty" job and was doing the work managers should have been doing. |
| He said she "liked helping people", showed "kindness and empathy" and had a "strong sense of duty". | He said she "liked helping people", showed "kindness and empathy" and had a "strong sense of duty". |
| Ms McGhee is accused of "threatening" a female patient with male carers and also ordering items be removed from a male patient's room as a "punishment" while he was being restrained by staff during an outburst of aggressive and violent behaviour. | Ms McGhee is accused of "threatening" a female patient with male carers and also ordering items be removed from a male patient's room as a "punishment" while he was being restrained by staff during an outburst of aggressive and violent behaviour. |
| In one clip while the woman was screaming, Ms McGhee could be heard joking that the patient was "possessed". | In one clip while the woman was screaming, Ms McGhee could be heard joking that the patient was "possessed". |
| Mr Normanton said, at worst, the comment was a "professional lapse" made by a nurse who was "very human", adding: "Such mistakes show nothing of how she cared for patients and her attitudes towards them." | |
| Mr Normanton said the footage relating to Ms McGhee showed "proper treatment" by a nurse "trying to manage a difficult situation as best she can". | Mr Normanton said the footage relating to Ms McGhee showed "proper treatment" by a nurse "trying to manage a difficult situation as best she can". |
| 'Very little experience' | 'Very little experience' |
| Christopher Knox, representing Ryan Fuller who faces 10 charges, said the "unfortunate people" being cared for at Whorlton Hall had been sectioned and were "very disabled and mentally disorderly" through "no fault of their own", adding some were "frankly dangerous". | Christopher Knox, representing Ryan Fuller who faces 10 charges, said the "unfortunate people" being cared for at Whorlton Hall had been sectioned and were "very disabled and mentally disorderly" through "no fault of their own", adding some were "frankly dangerous". |
| He said Mr Fuller, who was 20 when he started working as a carer at Whorlton Hall in 2016, was a "young man who went to work there with very little experience and training". | He said Mr Fuller, who was 20 when he started working as a carer at Whorlton Hall in 2016, was a "young man who went to work there with very little experience and training". |
| He said Mr Fuller "treated those people as people all the way" and evidence had to be seen "in the context of an extremely unusual environment", adding Mr Fuller was not cruel or abusive but rather "endeavoured to try to provide some sort of life for those people". | He said Mr Fuller "treated those people as people all the way" and evidence had to be seen "in the context of an extremely unusual environment", adding Mr Fuller was not cruel or abusive but rather "endeavoured to try to provide some sort of life for those people". |
| Mr Knox said the BBC went to Whorlton Hall "with the clear idea there was some sort of abuse they were going to uncover" such as "physical abuse" similar to that discovered at Winterbourne View near Bristol but "frankly that was not the case". | Mr Knox said the BBC went to Whorlton Hall "with the clear idea there was some sort of abuse they were going to uncover" such as "physical abuse" similar to that discovered at Winterbourne View near Bristol but "frankly that was not the case". |
| He said Mr Fuller featured so much in the undercover footage as he was Ms Davies' mentor but none of his activity involved "physical abuse, threats of violence or unpleasantness". | He said Mr Fuller featured so much in the undercover footage as he was Ms Davies' mentor but none of his activity involved "physical abuse, threats of violence or unpleasantness". |
| Mr Knox said Mr Fuller "knew these people far better" than Ms Davies and "knew how to get some sort of response from them", adding: "He would never seek to wind up one of these patients, to make one of these patients blow up and explode. | Mr Knox said Mr Fuller "knew these people far better" than Ms Davies and "knew how to get some sort of response from them", adding: "He would never seek to wind up one of these patients, to make one of these patients blow up and explode. |
| "He would have been crazy [to do that]." | "He would have been crazy [to do that]." |
| The nine accused face the following number of charges of ill treatment of a person in care: | The nine accused face the following number of charges of ill treatment of a person in care: |
| John Sanderson, 25, of Cambridge Avenue, Willington - two | John Sanderson, 25, of Cambridge Avenue, Willington - two |
| Darren Lawton, 47, of Miners Crescent, Darlington - two | Darren Lawton, 47, of Miners Crescent, Darlington - two |
| Niall Mellor, 26, of Lingmell Dene, Coundon, Bishop Auckland - two | Niall Mellor, 26, of Lingmell Dene, Coundon, Bishop Auckland - two |
| Sara Banner, 33, of Faulkner Road, Newton Aycliffe - three | Sara Banner, 33, of Faulkner Road, Newton Aycliffe - three |
| Matthew Banner, 43, of the same address - six | Matthew Banner, 43, of the same address - six |
| Ryan Fuller, 27, of Deerbolt Bank, Barnard Castle - 10 | Ryan Fuller, 27, of Deerbolt Bank, Barnard Castle - 10 |
| Sabah Mahmood, 27, of Woodland Crescent, Kelloe - one | Sabah Mahmood, 27, of Woodland Crescent, Kelloe - one |
| Peter Bennett, 53, of Redworth Road, Billingham - three | Peter Bennett, 53, of Redworth Road, Billingham - three |
| Karen McGhee, 54, of Wildair Close, Darlington - two | Karen McGhee, 54, of Wildair Close, Darlington - two |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
| Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. | Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. |