Ten charged with abuse at Winterbourne View

Ten people have been charged with abusing or neglecting patients at Winterbourne View Hospital for people with learning disabilities. (Image from BBC Panorama).

Ten people have been charged with abusing or neglecting patients at Winterbourne View Hospital for people with learning disabilities.

They have been accused of a total of 40 offences of ill-treatment and neglect under the Mental Health Act 1983, which carries a maximum prison sentence of five years. The charges concern five alleged victims.

The following have been charged: Wayne Rogers, aged 30; Graham Doyle, aged 25; Allison Dove, aged 24; Jason Gardiner, aged 42; Charlotte Cotterell, aged 21; Holly Draper, aged 22; Michael Ezenagu, aged 28; Kelvin Fore, aged 32; Sookalingun Appoo, aged 58; and Danny Brake, aged 26.

Three men aged 25, 27 and 41, who have also been arrested on suspicion of causing ill treatment under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, remain on police bail, pending further enquiries.

A 14th person – a 40-year-old man – who was arrested on suspicion of common assault has been released without charge.

The charges come six months after BBC Panorama exposed alleged abuse of people with learning disabilities at the hospital, run by Castlebeck. It subsequently closed under threat of enforcement action by the Care Quality Commission.

A serious case review and NHS serious incident review are underway into the alleged abuse, while it has also prompted a national inspection of similar services for people with learning disabilities.

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