‘Mistreatment became normality,’ inquiry into Muckamore Abbey hospital abuse finds

Vulnerable adults suffered broken bones and severe neglect in Northern Irish hospital at centre of major police investigation

A major inquiry into the abuse of vulnerable adults at Muckamore Abbey hospital, in Northern Ireland, has found “mistreatment became a normality” and patients suffered black eyes, broken bones and severe neglect.

The hospital is at the centre of the UK’s largest police investigation into the alleged abuse of vulnerable adults, with 124 people having been referred by police for prosecution.

Chaired by Tom Kark KC, the inquiry found that as well as physical abuse, residents were subjected to “neglect, poor care and a wider diminution of their rights”.

Kark said he heard evidence of patients receiving unexplained black eyes and broken bones, not being washed, with faeces under their fingernails or on their clothes, and becoming obese or losing weight dramatically owing to a lack of care over diet.