CPS drop case against nurse over patient deaths - Reuters UK

LONDON | Fri Sep 2, 2011 5:14pm BST

LONDON (Reuters) - Prosecutors said on Friday they had dropped charges against a nurse accused of contaminating saline solution after an investigation into unexplained deaths of patients at a hospital in Stockport.

Rebecca Leighton had been charged in July with three counts of criminal damage with intent to endanger life and three counts of being reckless as to whether life was being endangered.

The charges came as detectives investigated the suspicious deaths of patients after a higher than normal number were reported to have "unexplained" low blood sugar levels.

Nazir Afzal, the chief crown prosecutor for the northwest, said those charges had now been dropped although the Greater Manchester Police investigation was still ongoing.

"Rebecca Leighton was charged on the basis that there was a 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," Afzal said.

"The inquiries, which are still ongoing, have not so far provided us with a stronger case which would meet the test that there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction."

He said Leighton would now be immediately released from prison where she was being held on remand.

However, he added that if new evidence emerged the CPS could reverse its decision.

"The law does allow us to reinstate charges in those circumstances, particularly where the allegations are serious," he said.

(Reporting by Michael Holden)