Nurse Rebecca Leighton still being held over Stepping Hill hospital deaths

Leighton, 27, suspected of murdering five patients at the hospital in Stockport after saline bags were sabotaged with insulin Police continued to question nurse Rebecca Leighton over the deaths of five patients at the hospital where she worked after bags of saline solution were sabotaged with insulin. Detectives arrested the 27-year-old on Wednesday on suspicion of murder after 36 adulterated bags of saline were found at Stepping Hill hospital in Stockport. Police have been given more time to question her under a warrant of further detention. It was due to expire at 9.05pm last night, at which point she had to be either be released from custody or charged. It is understood Leighton had recently been rejected for a new job, thought to have been a promotion within the hospital. She is believed to have vehemently protested her innocence to detectives. Officers said it was likely the death toll would rise as the coroner investigates any further unexplained deaths at the hospital. An 83-year-old man who died on Thursday was named as electronic engineer Derek Weaver. A postmortem on an 84-year-old woman who died on 11 July and has not yet been identified was inconclusive, but she also had low blood sugar. Assistant chief constable Ian Hopkins sought to reassure the public that the patients who died became ill before police were called in, and said 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 wards A1 and A3, where the saline was tampered with. 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 into the deaths of Tracey Arden, 44; George Keep, 84; and Arnold Lancaster, 71. Those who know Leighton portray her as a hard-working, cheerful and polite young woman who enjoys nights out with her friends but had found nightshifts 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. Another man in his 40s who was critically ill at the hospital after suffering a drop in blood sugar is said to be improving and a woman who suffered a seizure is also 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 22, 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.