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Seven people charged in relation to alleged incidents at Muckamore Abbey Hospital near Antrim town appeared side by side in the dock at court on Tuesday.

They were before Antrim Magistrates' Court, sitting in Ballymena.

The accused are Sean Francis Black (63), of Moylena Meadow in Antrim town; Sean Bryce (47), of Alderpark in Antrim; Clare Dobbin (49), of Moylena Grove in Antrim; Leanne Hall (34), of Featherbed Glade, Enniskillen; Tara Lally (30), of Chestnutt Meadows, Ballynahinch; Patrick McAllister (30), of Harmony Park, Drumaness; and Elizabeth McKevitt (41), of Millhouse Avenue in Antrim.

Relatives of complainants watched on from the public gallery or via video link. The charges relate to 2017.

General view of Muckamore Abbey Hospital. Image: Google

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The defendants are accused of 'wilful neglect' of patients whilst working at Muckamore; and 'false imprisonment' of patients on days in 2017.

A previous court heard there are thousands of pages of documentation.

During a preliminary enquiry on Tuesday - the legal step to send a case to the Crown Court - a prosecutor submitted there was a case to answer. Defence lawyers had no contrary submissions.

District Judge Nigel Broderick released each accused on £500 bail. The cases were sent to Laganside Crown Court in Belfast for arraignment on May 27.

Seven people appear in court charged over alleged incidents at Muckamore Abbey Hospital