29:
255:
He was found not guilty of murdering Arnold
Lancaster, who had been suffering from terminal cancer, but was convicted of attempting to cause him and 20 other patients grievous bodily harm with intent by poisoning. He was also found guilty of eight offences of unlawfully administering or causing to be taken by another person any poison or destructive or noxious thing with intent to injure, aggrieve or annoy, or attempting to do so, after deliberately altering prescriptions. The jury at Manchester Crown Court had deliberated for 11 days.
384:
185:, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the North West, said Leighton had been charged on the basis there was "reasonable suspicion she had committed the offences and there were reasonable grounds for believing the continuing investigation would provide further evidence within a reasonable amount of time". She subsequently hired celebrity publicist
246:
On 5 January 2012, it was revealed that a death had occurred on 31 December 2011, after
Leighton had been dismissed, and was now being linked to the investigation. Forty-six-year-old Victorino Chua, a nurse at the hospital, had been arrested amid claims that forms had been altered and a patient given
137:
Three patients' deaths – two elderly men, George Keep, 84 and Arnold
Lancaster, 71, and a woman – Tracey Arden, 44 – were attributed to the alleged contamination, although it was also reported that each of the patients also had underlying medical conditions that made them weaker. On 21 July
254:
and attempted poisoning. He was remanded in custody to appear at
Manchester Magistrates' Court later. The prosecution argued that Chua had decided to take out his personal frustrations on patients "for reasons truly known only to himself". On 18 May 2015, Chua was convicted on two counts of murder.
134:, they quickly became hypoglycemic and three confirmed fatalities occurred. A number of other patients are also believed by police to have been poisoned in this way, though most did not suffer fatal consequences. Two further deaths in the A1 and A3 wards were added to the investigation on 21 July.
121:
in the blood to be used by the muscles and cells of the body for energy. The brain requires a constant supply of glucose in order to be able to function properly. As insulin lowers the level of glucose in the blood, if too much of it is present in the circulation this can quickly lead to lowered
192:
On 2 December 2011, it was reported that
Leighton had been dismissed from her job as a nurse at Stepping Hill Hospital. She had been suspended ever since the allegations were first made nearly five months earlier. She appealed against her termination in a hearing in February 2012, but the trust
247:
extra medication. He was later also questioned on the earlier deaths. He was not charged with any offence and was placed on police bail. By July 2012, GMP stated that they were making good progress in the investigation, that 22 people had been poisoned and that seven deaths had occurred.
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dismissed the appeal. The trust was unable to comment due to confidentiality issues and there was no response from
Leighton's lawyers. It was also revealed on that day that police were investigating a total of 19 deaths at the hospital as possible victims of saline poisoning.
439:
158:
On 20 July 2011, GMP confirmed that they had arrested a 27-year-old nurse – Rebecca Jane
Leighton, who worked at the hospital on ward A1 and A3 – in connection with the murder inquiry. The
328:
130:. This can be rapidly and irreversibly fatal if not recognised and treated early enough. At Stepping Hill it was suspected that, due to the increased levels of insulin in the patients'
162:
opened a fitness to practice investigation after the arrest of
Leighton. On 22 July, Leighton appeared at Manchester City Magistrates' court. She was charged with three counts of
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said it was "no longer appropriate" to continue the case against her. Evidence that was expected to appear in support of the charges had not become available.
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146:. During the investigation, 60 detectives were involved in determining how and when the saline solutions were contaminated. Meanwhile, a number of
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On 29 March 2014, Chua was charged with the murders of Tracey Arden, Arnold
Lancaster and Alfred Derek Weaver, and 31 other offences including
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The investigation was sparked by a nurse on a ward at the hospital, who noticed that several patients on the ward had unexpectedly low
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national, to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 35 years, meaning he will be 84 years old when he becomes eligible for parole.
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2011, it was confirmed that two more patients' deaths were being linked to the investigation, bringing the death count to five.
142:(GMP) announced that the inquiry into how saline solutions had been contaminated with insulin would form the basis of a murder
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171:
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166:, three counts of criminal damage being reckless as to whether life was being endangered, and one charge of theft. She was
67:, England. After suspicions were raised concerning the similarities of the deaths, a murder inquiry was launched. Nurse
329:"Tributes to 5th patient to die in Stepping Hill saline sabotage probe as police are given more time to question nurse"
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guards were stationed at the hospital, and staff were made to work in pairs when administering medication to patients.
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385:"Stepping Hill Hospital: Nurse Rebecca Leighton Held For More Time After Five People Have Now Died"
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275:, British nurse who murdered two patients and committed grievous bodily harm to 15 others
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110:, and this was believed to have lowered the blood sugar levels in the patients.
440:"Nursing regulator opens fitness to practise proceedings in Stepping Hill case"
281:, British nurse who murdered seven infants and attempted murder on another six
126:); which as a consequence negatively affects the functioning of the brain and
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300:"BBC News – Police investigate three deaths at Stepping Hill Hospital"
522:"Stepping Hill saline deaths: Nurse Rebecca Leighton charges dropped"
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689:"Stepping Hill nurse Victorino Chua guilty of murdering patients"
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671:"Stepping Hill deaths: Nurse Victorino Chua charged with murder"
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Charges against
Leighton were dropped on 2 September 2011. The
492:"Stepping Hill Hospital: Rebecca Leighton remanded in custody"
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blood glucose levels, commonly known as low blood sugar (or
467:"Registered nurse arrested over Stepping Hill deaths named"
355:"Stepping Hill Hospital deaths: Suspect 'may be on site'"
587:"Stepping Hill nurse Rebecca Leighton loses sack appeal"
410:"Stepping Hill Hospital: Nurse arrested in murder probe"
605:"Stepping Hill Hospital saline inquiry: Nurse arrested"
647:. Greater Manchester Police. July 2012. Archived from
548:"Rebecca Leighton: Nurse seeks help from Max Clifford"
75:. He was convicted of murder in 2015 and sentenced to
569:"Nurse Rebecca Leighton dismissed from Stepping Hill"
794:"Stepping Hill nurse Victorino Chua jailed for life"
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levels. An investigation suggested that a number of
71:was found to have poisoned several patients with
863:History of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport
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442:. Nursing and Midwifery Council. Archived from
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22:2011 Stepping Hill Hospital poisoning incident
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164:criminal damage with intent to endanger life
878:Medical controversies in the United Kingdom
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323:
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645:"Stepping Hill probe making good progress"
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823:Sentencing remarks of Mr Justice Openshaw
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214:1965 or 1966 (age 57–58)
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16:2011 serial murder in the United Kingdom
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873:July 2011 events in the United Kingdom
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624:
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737:"'Evil angel' nurse guilty of murder"
707:"Nurse, Victorino Chua, found guilty"
627:"Stepping Hill hospital nurse bailed"
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113:Insulin is a hormone produced by the
888:Serial murders in the United Kingdom
764:"Nurse guilty of murdering patients"
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699:
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13:
843:2011 murders in the United Kingdom
14:
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762:Fallowfield, Carl (18 May 2015).
502:from the original on 23 July 2011
420:from the original on 21 July 2011
365:from the original on 22 July 2011
306:from the original on 22 July 2011
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625:Carter, Helen (8 January 2012).
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335:. menmedia.co.uk. 11 July 2011
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33:Stepping Hill Hospital in 2010
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713:. 18 May 2015. Archived from
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170:in custody to next appear at
160:Nursing and Midwifery Council
465:Ford, Steve (20 July 2011).
83:Background and investigation
55:In 2011, deaths occurred at
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853:Crime in Greater Manchester
848:2010s in Greater Manchester
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711:Greater Manchester Police
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179:Crown Prosecution Service
140:Greater Manchester Police
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189:to help clear her name.
333:Manchester Evening News
117:to allow the uptake of
471:Health Service Journal
172:Manchester Crown Court
128:central nervous system
57:Stepping Hill Hospital
302:. BBC. 15 July 2011.
446:on 14 September 2011
252:grievous bodily harm
858:Deaths by poisoning
651:on 17 December 2013
554:. 7 September 2011.
257:Mr Justice Openshaw
23:
593:. 3 February 2012.
575:. 2 December 2011.
528:. 2 September 2011
259:sentenced Chua, a
65:Greater Manchester
47:Greater Manchester
21:
868:Hospital scandals
741:Belfast Telegraph
611:. 5 January 2012.
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236:Life imprisonment
77:life imprisonment
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154:Rebecca Leighton
49:, United Kingdom
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802:. Retrieved
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719:. Retrieved
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653:. Retrieved
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308:. Retrieved
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187:Max Clifford
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148:armed police
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132:bloodstreams
124:hypoglycemia
112:
104:contaminated
100:saline drips
86:
68:
54:
18:
532:2 September
219:Nationality
183:Nazir Afzal
89:blood sugar
832:Categories
286:References
279:Lucy Letby
883:Stockport
633:. London.
102:had been
61:Stockport
43:Stockport
798:BBC News
693:BBC News
675:BBC News
609:BBC News
591:BBC News
573:BBC News
552:BBC News
526:BBC News
500:Archived
496:BBC News
418:Archived
414:BBC News
389:Sky News
363:Archived
359:BBC News
304:Archived
267:See also
261:Filipino
223:Filipino
168:remanded
115:pancreas
96:ampoules
39:Location
506:23 July
476:20 July
450:20 July
424:23 July
394:23 July
369:23 July
339:23 July
310:23 July
144:inquiry
119:glucose
108:insulin
73:insulin
804:25 May
778:18 May
747:18 May
721:18 May
93:saline
106:with
806:2015
780:2015
749:2015
723:2015
657:2012
534:2011
508:2011
478:2011
452:2011
426:2011
396:2011
371:2011
341:2011
312:2011
211:Born
98:and
59:in
834::
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766:.
739:.
709:.
691:.
673:.
629:.
617:^
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560:^
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320:^
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