Whorlton Hall: Accused carer 'showing off' describing incidents

Whorlton Hall in County Durham has closed since the 2019 Panorama documentary

A carer accused of ill treating patients at a secure hospital was "showing off" when telling stories about restraints, a court has heard.

Nine former workers at Whorlton Hall, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, deny 27 offences arising from an undercover BBC Panorama film in 2019.

Darren Lawton, 47, the seventh defendant to give evidence, told Teesside Crown Court he was a "joker".

He said humour was his way of "dealing with things".

Jurors have seen footage filmed by undercover reporter Olivia Davies, who posed as a carer at the 17-bedroom hospital for people with extreme behavioural and learning difficulties.

In one clip, Mr Lawton, who faces two charges of ill-treating two male patients, could be heard saying how he removed his keys and panic alarm ahead of restraining a patient.

'Elaborate a story'

Mr Lawton told the court the patient had taken a shoe off and thrown it at him and was "squaring up" to him.

"All I did was stand my ground and that diffused the situation," he told jurors.

The court heard that when he described it to colleagues afterwards, including Ms Davies, he "elaborated the story".

Prosecutor Anne Richardson asked him: "So when regaling staff you just added bits in?" He agreed.

"Another way would be to say you lied," Ms Richardson said.

"I was just showing off," Mr Lawton replied, adding: "Being a joker and laughing around was my way of dealing with things."

In another incident, co-accused Ryan Fuller and Mr Lawton were accused of ill-treating another man who lay on the floor pretending to be in a restraint position.

Mr Lawton said the man had been a "willing participant" and they had been joking around together.

'Most volatile patients'

The eighth defendant, John Sanderson, was 21 when he began working at Whorlton Hall in June 2018.

Now 25, he said he had no experience of working with what his lawyer Shaun Dryden called "patients with complex difficulties" and received training on manual handling, health and safety and restraint techniques.

He was placed with the two "most volatile" male patients who each required multiple staff observing them at any one time, jurors were told.

In July Mr Sanderson was left on his own with one patient who broke his wrist during an attack, he said.

The defendant was off work until the end of October following doctor's order, although he said a manager "harassed" him to return earlier.

He came back on restrictive duties, but in December his wrist was broken again by a patient assaulted him with a pool cue and he was off for another month, the court heard.

While he was off the first time, a new male patient arrived who it is alleged Mr Sanderson ill-treated on 2 February by "teasing" him about his medication.

The court heard the man had diabetes but would resist taking medication, and in covertly filmed footage Mr Sanderson could be seen asking the man to take his medications.

"Did you know it would upset [the man] if you talked to him about medication?" Mr Dryden asked.

"No," Mr Sanderson replied, adding the man refused to take medication "daily".

The footage showed Mr Sanderson appeared to be smiling as he walked away, which the defendant conceded was "wholly inappropriate" but described as a "defence mechanism".

He said Ms Davies "stuck out like a sore thumb" because of her appearance, adding he did not think she looked "suitable" for a job at Whorlton Hall.

He admitted he was attracted to her and "from time to time" wanted to ask her out, although he never did.

'Frightened of violence'

The second charge against Mr Sanderson claims he "goaded" the man on 25 February and threatened him with violence. Video footage captured him saying: "Punch me and see what happens, I'll put you through the floor."

The court was told he had gone into the man's room to retrieve a bath plug and close some windows which were causing a draught.

He said the man became agitated because Ms Davies was standing in the doorway and he normally did not have female carers.

The man lunged at and hit him, the jury heard, so the defendant stood up to him after being told by management to be "as firm as I could with any violent patient".

He said was he was "frightened" due to the man's "unpredictableness" and a lack of help from other staff, including Ms Davies.

The court heard Mr Sanderson was dismissed a month later after a carer claimed he said he could not wait to get the cast off his arm so he could "deck" patients.

Mr Sanderson told jurors his words had been twisted and he believed he was sacked because of a personal injury claim he had launched against the management.

He said he was looking forward to no longer "being targeted for having one arm" and feeling "like one of the team again".

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

• 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, 27, 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

The trial continues.