This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-65416650
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Whorlton Hall: Four guilty of ill-treating hospital patients | Whorlton Hall: Four guilty of ill-treating hospital patients |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Panorama spent months filming undercover at the secure hospital in County Durham to expose wrongdoing | Panorama spent months filming undercover at the secure hospital in County Durham to expose wrongdoing |
| Four carers have been found guilty of ill-treating patients at a secure hospital, following a BBC Panorama investigation. | Four carers have been found guilty of ill-treating patients at a secure hospital, following a BBC Panorama investigation. |
| Nine former staff at Whorlton Hall, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, had faced a total of 27 charges. Five of those on trial have been cleared. | Nine former staff at Whorlton Hall, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, had faced a total of 27 charges. Five of those on trial have been cleared. |
| Jurors heard vulnerable patients were mocked and treated with "contempt". | Jurors heard vulnerable patients were mocked and treated with "contempt". |
| Lawyers for the defendants argued their clients had been doing their best in very challenging circumstances. | Lawyers for the defendants argued their clients had been doing their best in very challenging circumstances. |
| The men found guilty have been bailed and will be sentenced at Teesside Crown Court in July. | The men found guilty have been bailed and will be sentenced at Teesside Crown Court in July. |
| Matthew Banner threatened a patient who preferred female carers that men would be called to her room | Matthew Banner threatened a patient who preferred female carers that men would be called to her room |
| The specialist hospital for people with complex needs, who required 24-hour-care, was privately run by Cygnet but funded by the NHS. | The specialist hospital for people with complex needs, who required 24-hour-care, was privately run by Cygnet but funded by the NHS. |
| Panorama sent undercover reporter Olivia Davies to work shifts at the 17-bed unit for two months between December 2018 and February 2019. | Panorama sent undercover reporter Olivia Davies to work shifts at the 17-bed unit for two months between December 2018 and February 2019. |
| Durham Constabulary subsequently launched an investigation and within two days of the programme going on air 10 carers were arrested. | Durham Constabulary subsequently launched an investigation and within two days of the programme going on air 10 carers were arrested. |
| Whorlton Hall verdicts: Can further scandals be prevented? | |
| It said its major crime team worked through months of hidden camera footage, as well as significant amounts of documentary records and witness evidence. | It said its major crime team worked through months of hidden camera footage, as well as significant amounts of documentary records and witness evidence. |
| Whorlton Hall was closed shortly after the documentary was broadcast. | Whorlton Hall was closed shortly after the documentary was broadcast. |
| Peter Bennett, 53, mocked one patient with communication difficulties by speaking to them in French | Peter Bennett, 53, mocked one patient with communication difficulties by speaking to them in French |
| At Teesside Crown Court, jurors delivered the mixed verdicts after two days of deliberation. | At Teesside Crown Court, jurors delivered the mixed verdicts after two days of deliberation. |
| Peter Bennett, 53, of Redworth Close in Billingham, Teesside, was found guilty of two charges and cleared of one. | Peter Bennett, 53, of Redworth Close in Billingham, Teesside, was found guilty of two charges and cleared of one. |
| Matthew Banner, 43, of Faulkner Road, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, was found guilty on five counts and cleared of one. | Matthew Banner, 43, of Faulkner Road, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, was found guilty on five counts and cleared of one. |
| Ryan Fuller, 27, of Deerbolt Bank in Barnard Castle was found guilty of two counts but cleared of eight. | Ryan Fuller, 27, of Deerbolt Bank in Barnard Castle was found guilty of two counts but cleared of eight. |
| John Sanderson, 25, of Cambridge Avenue, Willington, County Durham, was found guilty of one count but cleared of another. | John Sanderson, 25, of Cambridge Avenue, Willington, County Durham, was found guilty of one count but cleared of another. |
| Karen McGhee, Darren Lawton, Sabah Mahmood, Niall Mellor and Sara Banner - Matthew Banner's wife - were cleared of all charges. | Karen McGhee, Darren Lawton, Sabah Mahmood, Niall Mellor and Sara Banner - Matthew Banner's wife - were cleared of all charges. |
| John Sanderson, 25, was filmed by Panorama making threats of violence to a man | John Sanderson, 25, was filmed by Panorama making threats of violence to a man |
| Some of the defendants wept loudly as the verdicts were read out. | Some of the defendants wept loudly as the verdicts were read out. |
| Bennett was convicted for "deliberately referencing and snapping balloons" in the presence of a female patient who did not like them and "mocking" another's communication difficulties by talking to her in French. | Bennett was convicted for "deliberately referencing and snapping balloons" in the presence of a female patient who did not like them and "mocking" another's communication difficulties by talking to her in French. |
| Matthew Banner was guilty of ill-treating the same patient, who preferred female carers, by "threatening" that men would be sent to her room and making repeated references to balloons. | Matthew Banner was guilty of ill-treating the same patient, who preferred female carers, by "threatening" that men would be sent to her room and making repeated references to balloons. |
| Sanderson was found guilty of threatening a male patient with violence and "goading him to fight". | Sanderson was found guilty of threatening a male patient with violence and "goading him to fight". |
| Fuller was guilty of instructing another male patient to lie on the floor to demonstrate a restraint and then simulating an assault by pretending to perform an "elbow drop" wrestling move from a chair. | Fuller was guilty of instructing another male patient to lie on the floor to demonstrate a restraint and then simulating an assault by pretending to perform an "elbow drop" wrestling move from a chair. |
| He was also found guilty of "antagonising" another male patient and "encouraging" him to fight. | He was also found guilty of "antagonising" another male patient and "encouraging" him to fight. |
| Ryan Fuller had faced 10 charges of mistreating patients and was convicted of two | Ryan Fuller had faced 10 charges of mistreating patients and was convicted of two |
| Speaking after the verdicts, Christopher Atkinson, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said the four men had a "duty of care for patients who, due to significant mental health issues, were wholly dependent on their support every day of their lives". | Speaking after the verdicts, Christopher Atkinson, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said the four men had a "duty of care for patients who, due to significant mental health issues, were wholly dependent on their support every day of their lives". |
| He said it was "clear" there were times when the care provided was "not only devoid of the appropriate respect and kindness required but also crossed the line into criminal offending". | He said it was "clear" there were times when the care provided was "not only devoid of the appropriate respect and kindness required but also crossed the line into criminal offending". |
| Dan Scorer, head of policy at disability charity Mencap, said: "No-one who has seen the footage and read about the charges in this case can feel anything other than horror and disgust. | Dan Scorer, head of policy at disability charity Mencap, said: "No-one who has seen the footage and read about the charges in this case can feel anything other than horror and disgust. |
| "Learning disabilities and autism are not conditions that can be 'treated', yet the NHS and the government continue to fund private care facilities like Whorlton Hall. | "Learning disabilities and autism are not conditions that can be 'treated', yet the NHS and the government continue to fund private care facilities like Whorlton Hall. |
| "This distressing case represents another abject failure, and we cannot allow any more people to lose years of their lives to this abusive system." | "This distressing case represents another abject failure, and we cannot allow any more people to lose years of their lives to this abusive system." |
| Whorlton Hall has been closed since the 2019 Panorama documentary | Whorlton Hall has been closed since the 2019 Panorama documentary |
| NHS North East and Yorkshire described the events exposed by the BBC as "terrible" and "shocking". A spokesperson said the NHS "took immediate action by closing the Cygnet unit as soon as concerns were raised". | NHS North East and Yorkshire described the events exposed by the BBC as "terrible" and "shocking". A spokesperson said the NHS "took immediate action by closing the Cygnet unit as soon as concerns were raised". |
| The Department of Health and Social Care said: "Today's verdict reflects a terrible set of events that should never have happened and we do not want to see happening again. | The Department of Health and Social Care said: "Today's verdict reflects a terrible set of events that should never have happened and we do not want to see happening again. |
| "We will review the verdict of the trial in detail, along with the safeguarding adult review when it is completed, in order to consider any further action." | "We will review the verdict of the trial in detail, along with the safeguarding adult review when it is completed, in order to consider any further action." |
| 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. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Whorlton Hall abuse scandal | Whorlton Hall abuse scandal |
| Barnard Castle | Barnard Castle |
| Whorlton | Whorlton |