Four carers who were convicted of abusing patients at a secure hospital have been given suspended sentences.
An undercover BBC Panorama investigation showed patients being mocked by staff at Whorlton Hall in County Durham between 2018 and 2019.
The four former staff, who are all men, were sentenced on Friday after being convicted by a jury last year.
Judge Chris Smith said Whorlton Hall was an "unpredictable and inherently frightening place to live".
The specialist hospital for people with complex needs was privately run by Cygnet, but funded by the NHS.
It has since closed.
Judge Smith said Whorlton Hall had a "malign culture" and was an "unpredictable and inherently frightening place to live."
He added: "Each of you failed those patients and their families. It was a fundamental breach of trust."
Source: BBC New, 20 January 2024
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