SIX staff at a Bradford nursing home - managed by an Addingham man - have today been cleared of deliberately neglecting an elderly dementia sufferer.

The three men and three women were this afternoon discharged from the dock at Bradford Crown Court on the direction of Judge Colin Burn part way through the trial in alleged neglect at Highdell Nursing Home in Idle.

Those acquitted by the jury were: Jennifer Cross, 60, a senior care assistant, of The Green, Idle; Nicki Kassama, 30, a carer, of Wrose Mount, Wrose, Shipley; Valerie James, 58, a senior carer, of Stonegate Road, Eccleshill, Bradford; Desmond Crowley, 59, a staff nurse and registered mental health nurse, of Hazelhurst Brow, Daisy Hill, Bradford; Gerard McDermott, 58, a registered mental health nurse, of Maria Street, Ilkley; and Piotr Czajkowski, 49, a cleaner, of Ravenscliffe Avenue, Ravenscliffe, Bradford.

All had denied one count of wilful neglect of a person who lacks capacity.

However, Highdell manager, Stephen Pelkowski, 51, of Lodge Hill, Addingham, and Phillippa Robinson, 57, a senior nurse and registered mental health nurse, of Hall Royd, Shipley, who both deny the charge, remain on trial.

Judge Burn told the jury: "There have been long and protracted discussions and arguments between myself and all of the lawyers in this case.

"The upshot of those arguments, members of the jury, and applying the conclusions I have had to make on what the law is here, I am going to direct you to return not guilty verdicts in the case of six of the defendants."

During the trial, prosecutor Stephen Wood said that 79-year-old dementia sufferer Edward Hinnells lived in a room "not fit for human habitation" at the nursing home.

He was left unwashed in soiled clothing in a room full of cigarette smoke, urine and faeces, with dirty walls and floor and no bedding, Mr Wood told the jury.

Jurors were also told that Mr Hinnells, who moved to the care home in February 2013, could be abusive and violent and was "difficult to manage".

All those on trial had described his "challenging" behaviour to police and denied neglecting him.

The trial continues.