Whorlton Hall: Four guilty of ill-treating hospital patients
Four carers have been found guilty of ill-treating patients at a secure hospital, following a BBC Panorama investigation.
Nine former staff at Whorlton Hall, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, had faced a total of 27 charges. Five of those on trial have been cleared.
Jurors heard vulnerable patients were mocked and treated with "contempt".
Lawyers for the defendants argued their clients had been doing their best in very challenging circumstances.
The men found guilty have been bailed and will be sentenced at Teesside Crown Court in July.
Speaking after the verdicts, Christopher Atkinson, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said the four men had a "duty of care for patients who, due to significant mental health issues, were wholly dependent on their support every day of their lives".
He said it was "clear" there were times when the care provided was "not only devoid of the appropriate respect and kindness required but also crossed the line into criminal offending".
Source: BBC News, 27 April 2023