Whorlton Hall: Jury retires to consider verdicts in trial

Six men and three women, who worked at Whorlton Hall, near Barnard Castle, were caught on camera abusing their positions by an undercover reporter, according to the prosecution.

Filmed over several weeks, the Panorama reporter captured the defendants allegedly tormenting one distressed patient who was seen to scream in anguish and hit herself as staff encouraged her or threatened to remove all female staff.

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She worked as a care assistant at the unit near Barnard Castle while recording the actions of staff in January and February 2019.

The footage was used in a BBC documentary exposing the alleged psychological abuse of vulnerable patients with learning disabilities or autism.

Whorlton Hall

The defendants face a total of 26 offences after the reporter used a hidden camera at the 17-bed independent unit for people with complex needs in January and February 2019.

The trial follows a long-running investigation by Durham police, Operation Sarto, after allegations of the abuse of patients was reported in 2019.

The facility, which has since closed, was privately-run but funded by the NHS.

The nine defendants arriving at Teesside Crown Court or at an earlier hearing at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court. (Image: The Northern Echo)

The accused are:

• John Sanderson, 25, of Cambridge Avenue, Willington, faces two charges of care worker ill-treatment or wilful neglect of an individual on February 2 and 25, 2019.

• Darren Mark Lawton, 47, of Miners Crescent, Darlington, by virtue of being a care worker, allegedly ill-treated or wilfully neglected a patient on January 27, 2019, and faces the same charge relating to a different patient on February 2.

• Niall Mellor, 26, of Lingmell Dene, Coundon, Bishop Auckland, is accused of the ill-treatment or wilful neglect of a patient on two occasions on January 20 and 24, 2019.

• Sarah Banner, 33, from Faulkner Road, Newton Aycliffe, stands accused of three charges of ill-treatment or neglect of a female in her care on January 24 and of a male patient the following day.

• Matthew Banner, 43, of the same Newton Aycliffe address, faced six charges all relating to the same patient at Whorlton Hall on separate occasions between January 6 and February 22.

• Ryan Fuller, 27, from of Deerbolt Bank, Barnard Castle, faced ten charges of ill-treatment or wilful neglect against six different patients January 19 and February 2.

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• Sabah Mahmood, 27, of Woodland Crescent, Kelloe, is accused of, by virtue of being a care worker, ill-treating or wilfully neglecting a male patient on January 4, 2019.

• Peter Bennett, 53, of Redworth Road, Billingham, faced three charges in total relating to two female patients, on January 6 and February 24.

• Karen McGhee, 54, from Wildair Close, Darlington, faced a total of four charges relating to a male and a female patient which were all said to have happened in January 2019.

All defendants deny the charges against them and the trial continues.