Four people have been sentenced for ill-treating vulnerable patients in their care at Whorlton Hall hospital.
All four were previously employed at the specialist private hospital, near Barnard Castle, for patients with high dependency complex needs, including those with mental health and disability issues.
They were convicted last week of a variety of charges after a lengthy crown court trial last year, which followed an extensive investigation by Durham Constabulary’s Major Crime Team.
Matthew Banner, 44, of no fixed address, was convicted of five counts of ill-treatment. He was sentenced to 4 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with 280 hours of unpaid work.
Peter Bennett, 54, of Redworth Road, Billingham, was convicted of two counts. He was also sentenced to 4 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with 280 hours of unpaid work.
Ryan Fuller, 28, of Deerbolt Bank, Barnard Castle was convicted of two counts. He was sentenced to 3 months’ imprisonment, suspended sentence for 15 months, with 240 hours of unpaid work.
John Sanderson, 26, of Cambridge Avenue, Willington, was convicted of one count. He was sentenced to 6 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, with 200 hours of unpaid work.
Five other defendants were found not guilty following the trial.
In May 2019, Durham Constabulary received reports of an impending BBC Panorama documentary regarding the abuse of patients at Whorlton Hall. A criminal investigation was launched to respond promptly to the reports. At the same time, there was close multi-agency working to accommodate the patients safely.
Immediate action was taken and within 36 hours of the programme being aired, several carers employed at Whorlton Hall were arrested at their home addresses and interviewed by police.
Investigators from the force’s Major Crime Team worked through several months of camera footage during the inquiry, as well as significant amounts of documentary records and witness evidence.
Detective Chief Superintendent David Ashton, who led the investigation, said: “This was an extensive investigation into the mistreatment of vulnerable people who required specialist care. We hope that the conviction of those involved provides the patients and their families with some element of closure.
“As a force, we have worked closely with other agencies to prioritise the safety of those patients who, sadly, had suffered from the abuse which was exposed by the BBC Panorama documentary.
“The case raises concerns, particularly for those who have vulnerable relatives or friends who require specialist care. We hope that the successful prosecution of the defendants in this case gives confidence to anyone who may be concerned about abuse in a care environment to speak out and report such matters.”
South West Durham News covering news across County Durham.
