AN 11th member of staff at Winterbourne View private hospital has appeared in court charged with abusing patients.

Neil Ferguson, 27, of Guest Avenue, Emerson's Green, is accused of twice ill-treating Simone Blake, on March 3 and March 13, last year.

Sporting a blue Mohican-style haircut, the support worker did not enter a plea at North Avon Magistrates' Court yesterday and spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address.

The private hospital in Hambrook was closed by its owners after last May the BBC current affairs programme Panorama broadcast undercover footage which appeared to show vulnerable residents being pinned down, slapped, doused in water and taunted.

The other ten people are charged with a combined total of 40 crimes of ill-treatment or wilful neglect against five victims, in February and March this year.

Wayne Rogers, 31, of Purton Close, Kingswood, is charged with ill-treating two women and one man three times, and one woman five times.

Graham Doyle, 25, of Bradley Road, Patchway, is charged with wilful neglect of one woman, ill-treating a man once and ill-treating a woman on six occasions.

Alison Dove, 24, of Chipperfield Drive, Kingswood, is charged with ill-treating one man and two women once, and ill-treating another woman four times.

Holly Draper, 23, of The Old Orchard, Mangotsfield, is charged with two counts of ill-treating one woman.

Jason Gardiner, 44, of Mellent Avenue, Hartcliffe, is charged with ill-treating a man and a woman on one occasion.

Charlotte Cotterell, 21, of Melrose Avenue, Yate is charged with two counts of ill-treating a woman.

Sookalingum Appoo, a 58-year- old nurse, of Dial Lane, Downend, is charged with three counts of wilfully neglecting a woman.

Daniel Brake, 27, of Beechen Drive, Fishponds, is charged with ill-treating a man and a woman.

Michael Ezenagu, 28, of White City, London, is charged with ill-treating a man and twice ill-treating a woman.

Kelvin Fore, a nurse, 33, of Ellesmere Walk, Middlesbrough, is charged with wilfully neglecting a woman.

All 11 defendants are on bail with the condition that they are not allowed to work with, or seek to work with, vulnerable people. They are due to appear before Bristol Crown Court on February 9.

The hospital's owner, Castlebeck, closed Winterbourne View in June and its 24 patients, who went their under the Mental Health Act to receive treatment, were transferred.