One of the charges against a nurse accused of abusing patients in a specialist hospital unit has been thrown out after a judge ruled there was no chance of a conviction.
Karen McGhee is one of nine people standing trial accused of launching a campaign of bullying and harassment against a number of patients living at Whorlton Hall.
Six men and three women, who worked at the former hospital, near Barnard Castle, were caught on camera abusing their positions when an undercover BBC reporter secured a job at the unit.
Karen McGhee was formally cleared of a charge relating to the restraint of one of the patients when another member of staff is accused of passing around chewing gum while the man is one the floor.
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Judge Chris Smith told jurors: “I have come to the conclusion that this particular count should come to an end today.”
The jury formerly entered a plea of not guilty against McGhee on the charge relating to count 21 on the indictment.
The defendants now 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 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 three charges relating to patients which were all said to have happened in January 2019.
The trial, which is not sitting next week, will resume on Tuesday, April 11, when the defence cases are expected to open.
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