Whorlton Hall: BBC film exposed staff cruelty, court told

Whorlton Hall, which has since closed, was privately run but funded by the NHS

A BBC documentary exposed the "cruel and abusive" attitudes of staff at a hospital for vulnerable patients, a court has heard.

Nine workers were charged with a total of 27 offences after an undercover reporter filmed at Whorlton Hall, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, in 2019.

Patients with learning disabilities were verbally abused and mocked by staff, Teesside Crown Court was told.

The defendants, six men and three women, deny mistreating patients.

The specialist hospital for people with complex needs, which has since closed, was privately run but funded by the NHS.

The BBC sent reporter Olivia Davies to work at the unit for a Panorama documentary.

Some patients who were ill-treated had been detained at the 17-bed facility under the Mental Health Act, the court heard.

Anne Richardson, prosecuting, said: "There was something of a culture of inappropriate behaviour within Whorlton Hall."

'Man button'

One defendant said on camera he had invented an imaginary device to summon male staff for a female patient who said she did not want men to look after her.

The court heard Peter Bennett, 53, used the threat of the "man button" to make the patient comply.

He is also alleged to have said he would issue staff with balloons, as he knew the patient did not like them.

Another defendant, Niall Mellor, 26, was heard to call the same patient "a retard" and said residents did not need good treatment, jurors were told.

Miss Richardson said Ryan Fuller, 26, called a different resident a "bitch" and when he learned of more patients coming to the unit spoke of "how much fun he would have with them".

John Sanderson, 25, claimed to have repeatedly unplugged a patient's phone while the man was speaking to his sister, resulting in the patient becoming agitated, the court heard.

Sabah Mahmood, 27, was said to have told a resident that her family were "poison", despite knowing the patient blamed herself for the death of a relative.

Staff nurse Karen McGhee, 54, allegedly did not protect a patient from ill-treatment during a period of restraint by other staff.

'Not an easy job'

Miss Richardson said: "The Crown does not suggest that the defendants were ill treating all of the residents all of the time - caring for those within Whorlton Hall was not an easy job.

"Nonetheless, you will hear from witnesses, in conjunction with the BBC footage, that at times the defendants' attitude and care to certain residents was cruel and abusive."

She said the counts of ill treatment or wilful neglect of a person in care related to victims who were unable to protect themselves.

Miss Richardson said the defendants claimed they had received minimal training, that the hall was understaffed and that those they cared for were extremely challenging.

The accused face the following number of charges of ill-treatment of a person in care:

• John Sanderson, 25, of Cambridge Avenue, Willington - two

• Darren Lawton, 47, of Miners Crescent, Darlington - two

• Niall Mellor, 26, of Lingmell Dene, Coundon, Bishop Auckland - two

• Sara Banner, 33, of Faulkner Road, Newton Aycliffe - three

• Matthew Banner, 43, of the same address - six

• Ryan Fuller, 26, of Deerbolt Bank, Barnard Castle - 10

• Sabah Mahmood, 27, of Woodland Crescent, Kelloe - one

• Peter Bennett, 52, of Redworth Road, Billingham - three

• Karen McGhee, 54, of Wildair Close, Darlington - two, plus one count of wilful neglect

The trial will continue on Thursday when footage from the documentary will be shown in court.