Stepping Hill sabotage: police continue questioning as two more patients die

Stockport nurse Rebecca Leighton continues to be questioned after sabotage of saline bags at Stepping Hill hospital Police investigating a hospital where bags of saline were sabotaged with insulin say they are now looking at five unexplained deaths after two further pensioners became ill and died. Detectives arrested a 27-year-old nurse, Rebecca Leighton, on Wednesday on suspicion of murder after bags of saline were found sabotaged with insulin at Stepping Hill hospital in Stockport. Police have been given more time to question her after a warrant of further detention was granted. It will expire at 9.05pm on Friday. No charges have been brought so far. An 83-year-old man who died on Thursday morning following a hypoglycaemic episode was named as electronic engineer Derek Weaver. A postmortem examination on an 84-year-old female patient who died on 11 July was inconclusive, but found she also had low blood sugar. Assistant chief constable Ian Hopkins sought to reassure the public that the patients who died became ill prior to police being called in, and noted that 60 detectives were working on the case. “Since the police have been investigating, and the measures have been stepped up in terms of security at the hospital, we have had no further incidents of deliberate damage or contamination of products within Stepping Hill hospital,” he said. Both pensioners had been patients on the wards in question, A1 and A3, where saline in a cupboard was injected with insulin. The police inquiry is focusing on patients’ treatment from 7 July. Hopkins said the police wanted to prevent further harm and once that was achieved they would look at cases before that date. Inquests have been opened and adjourned by the coroner into the deaths of Tracey Arden, 44, George Keep, 84, and Arnold Lancaster, 71, who are thought to have died following the deliberate contamination of saline with insulin. Hopkins said of the latest deaths: “The cause of this man and woman’s deaths is not known and it is important we do not lose sight of this fact.” He said it was likely police will be asked to investigate further deaths: “In the main these are likely to be deaths of people who are elderly and/or ill, and we fully support the coroner’s ‘belt and braces’ approach to ensuring future deaths that require further investigation are appropriately investigated and scrutinised.” He added that any suggestion the investigation was near to being complete was misleading. Weaver’s family said he was a self-taught electronic engineer who ran an alarm business in Stockport. “He loved dining out at French restaurants and had a keen interest in cars and classical music,” they said. “He was a lovely gentleman who will be deeply missed.” Meanwhile, Leighton’s friends expressed their shock at her arrest. On 8 July, four days before police were called in after a nurse realised something was seriously amiss on her ward, Leighton posted on her Facebook page that she was “shattered”, telling a friend that it was going to be a long night. Those who know her portray a hard-working, cheerful and polite young woman who enjoyed nights out with her friends but found night shifts difficult. She followed her mother, Lynda, into nursing after taking an Open University degree. Her mother is a manager at Stepping Hill hospital, responsible for nurse training, and her father is a bus driver. Leighton was educated at a high school in Stockport. She lives in a flat above a darts shop owned by her fiance, Tim Papworth, 28, on the main A6 Buxton Road, a mile from the hospital. Hamid Bayatpoor, who works at a convenience shop, said she was a regular customer, and advised him when his daughter wanted to pursue a medical career. A close friend, Gavin Heaton, said she was a bridesmaid at his wedding two years ago. He added: “She’s worked at Stepping Hill a long time and worked her way up there. She enjoyed nursing. I’m shocked, I can’t believe it. My wife and her grew up together and I found her just to be a normal person, like any mate.” Another man in his 40s is critically ill at the hospital after suffering a drop in blood sugar and a woman who suffered a seizure is said to be recovering. Hospital staff say they are not concerned about the health of nine other patients who were affected by a fall in blood sugar levels. Chris Burke, chief executive of Stockport NHS foundation trust, said: “Our thoughts are obviously with the families of those affected by recent deaths at the hospital. Because a police investigation is still underway, at the request of the coroner, all deaths are being referred to the coroner’s office.” He said they fully support the coroner’s thorough approach to scrutinising and investigating the deaths. The General Nursing and Midwifery Council said it had begun proceedings to suspend Leighton’s registration following her arrest. Crime NHS Health Helen Carter guardian.co.uk

Posted by on July 21, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.