Muckamore inquiry: Ex-patient's father says son's genitals bruised

The father of a former Muckamore Abbey Hospital patient has said that on one occasion his son's "privates were bruised so badly they turned black".

Douglas's son is being identified as P128 to protect his identity and has been diagnosed as having severe learning difficulties.

He was first admitted to the facility when he was in his late 20s in 1999.

His parents "were horrified" at the sight of his injury, his father told the inquiry.

"We are not sure whether we were called first or whether we discovered the injury during a visit when P128 pulled down his trousers to show us." he said.

The inquiry was told the police were called but nothing came of the police investigation.

His father also said that on another occasion he saw a staff member's arm around his son's neck.

A public inquiry into abuse at the facility heard the staff member continued to work on Patient 128's ward after the incident.

The inquiry was also told about other injuries the patient sustained, including a fractured arm.

P128's father said: "No-one could say how he sustained the injury,

"We felt like we were up against a brick wall as to how this happened."

Douglas said his son's weight also dropped "dramatically to around six stone" while he was at the hospital.

The inquiry was told that P128 "changed" after being admitted and that "his speech totally disappeared; he was not talking to anybody".

Patient 128 is now in his 50s and has been resettled elsewhere since 2008.

His father told the inquiry: "His weight is back up, he is sleeping well, he likes his drives out with us on a Sunday."

However he added that, "all we have are bad memories at the time we trusted staff."

"We do not know the truth of everything that went on and it is upsetting for us to think about it.

"P128 could not have told us anything that was done to him. He was vulnerable there. We have to live with this regret."

The inquiry continues.