Video: Convicted Winterbourne worker apologises for care home abuse 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. 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.