Nurse Rebecca Leighton has been charged in connection with the deaths of five patients at a Stockport hospital at the centre of a tampering inquiry
Rebecca Leighton, is accused of six counts of causing damage with intent to endanger life or being reckless to whether life is being endangered.
A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: “A woman arrested by detectives investigating five deaths at Stepping Hill hospital has been charged.
“Rebecca Jane Leighton, of Buxton Road, Heaviley, is charged with six counts under section one of the criminal damage act, causing damage with intent to endanger life or being reckless to whether life is being endangered.
“She is also charged with one count of theft of medicine from Stepping Hill Hospital. She is due to appear at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Saturday.”
The 27-year-old was arrested at her home near the hospital on Wednesday after five people died from suspected poisoning of their saline drips with insulin in the last month.
Greater Manchester Police have admitted it is “likely” they will be asked to investigate further deaths by the coroner and have committed a team of 60 officers to the case.
Assistant Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said it was part of the coroner’s “belt and braces approach” to ensure that all cases with potential links to the inquiry were appropriately investigated and scrutinised.
He added that he would not rule out making further arrests.
Fourteen people are thought to have received contaminated saline liquid since 7 July. Nine of those have recovered but one man remains seriously ill.
The alarm was raised last week when a nurse reported a higher than normal number of patients on her ward with “unexplained” low blood sugar levels, pointing to saline containers being sabotaged.
Detectives believe the insulin was deliberately injected into the saline, which was used in drips by at least two wards.
They found insulin had contaminated a batch of 36 saline ampoules in a store room close to wards A1 and A3 of the hospital.
It was revealed on Thursday afternoon that two further people have died in incidents believed to be linked to contaminated saline – bringing the total number to five.
One of them, 83-year-old Derek Weaver, died on Thursday after suffering a hypoglycaemic episode on 11 July – a day after he was admitted from his interim care home with breathing problems.
His sister, Lynda Bleasdale, said: “He was such a wonderful person. Everyone in the hospital said what a charming, lovely gentleman he is.”
“He has never complained once and he has been through hell and back.”
The other person revealed to be linked to the case was 84-year-old Vera Pearson. She was added to the list after a coroner ruled she was found to have had low glucose levels.
Patients suspected of dying from contamination
July 7th: 44-year-old mother of two Tracey Arden from Heaviley
July 11th: 71-year-old retired photographer Arnold Lancaster from Romiley
July 14th: 84-year-old George Keep
July 14th: 84-year -old Vera Pearson
July 21st: 83-year-old retired electrician Derek Weaver
The families involved have been forced to postpone funerals while further pathology tests are being conducted to determine if insulin contributed to their deaths.