Care worker jury sent home for the weekend

The panel of eight men and four women will return to Teesside Crown Court on Monday morning to continue its deliberations.

They spent almost four hours considering the case against Steven Marley today, but were sent home after failing to reach a verdict.

Mr Marley is said to have pushed the severely-autistic resident to the floor before repeatedly kicking him around the body.

A witness claims she saw the 37-year-old then drag the man to his feet "like a bag of rubbish"and shove him in a room.

The incident is alleged to have happened at Newbus Grange in Hurworth, near Darlington, which is run by Castlebeck.

Mr Marley, of Teesdale Walk, Shildon, County Durham, denies ill-treating the resident - a person lacking capacity - last June.

He told the jury that he "parried" the man when he ran at him in a corridor, and he appeared to throw himself to the floor.

The jury earlier heard how the resident's behaviour was described as "unpredictable and challenging" for staff at the home.

He was said to have been in the habit of throwing himself to the floor, harming himself and injuring carers by lashing out.