One of the care workers caught abusing vulnerable adults at Winterbourne View apologised today for his behaviour.
Jason Gardiner, 43, was one of five support workers at the scandal-hit home who escaped immediate jail sentences.
A judge at Bristol Crown Court jailed the other six and in passing sentence on the 11th he condemned their behaviour as a "gross breach of trust and power".
Gardiner, who was a prison officer in Bristol for 11 years before working in the care sector, said as he left court: "At the time it was misguided, I was trying to do the right thing and I ended up doing wrong and I would apologise for that.
"I've apologised all the way through and I've taken full responsibility for everything I have done.
"It was a very difficult place to work, a tough place to work.
"All I can do is apologise to everybody for what happened and I really never meant any harm to anybody and that is heartfelt."
Gardiner, 43, of Mellent Avenue, Bristol, had admitted two charges of ill-treating Louisa Deville and Simon Tovey.
Judge Neil Ford QC, the Recorder of Bristol, said Gardiner had pleaded guilty on the basis of "reckless ill-treatment" and handed him a four-month jail term suspended for two years. He also ordered him to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
