Hospital Deaths: 500 Potential Witnesses - Sky News

8:31pm UK, Saturday September 03, 2011

Police in Greater Manchester say they will leave "no stone unturned" as they promised to quiz 500 potential witnesses over the deaths of seven hospital patients.

To view this content you need Flash and Javascript enabled in your browser.

Please download Flash from the Adobe download website.

Prosecutors have dropped all charges against nurse Rebecca Leighton in connection with deaths on two wards at Stepping Hill Hospital.

Ms Leighton, who spent more than six weeks in custody, said she had been "living in hell", locked up in prison for something she had not done.

Prosecutors said it was "no longer appropriate" to continue proceedings against the 27-year-old, who was accused of contaminating saline drips.

But the probe into the deaths is said to be "very much active".

It was so frustrating for me knowing that the person who actually carried out these terrible acts is still out there.

Nurse, Rebecca Leighton

Former Met Police Detective Peter Bleksley told Sky News the investigation would be "resource-intensive" as they potentially had so many victims.

"This is a low-tech crime," he said.

"These (saline) bags are not checked in and checked out, they do not have independent serial numbers.

"At the bottom of the bag there is a one-way valve - they are designed to have things injected into them."

Four of those whose deaths are being probed have yet to be named but their families are aware that the cases have been referred to police by Stockport coroner John Pollard.

Detectives had previously said they were looking at the suspicious deaths of Tracey Arden, 44, Arnold Lancaster, 71, and Derek Weaver, 83.

Two other patients, George Keep and Vera Pearson - both 84, were also linked to the inquiry but their deaths were later ruled out as not suspicious.

Ms Leighton left HMP Styal in Cheshire on Friday and went home to her parents David and Lynda after spending 45 days in custody following her arrest.

Speaking on her behalf, her solicitor Carl Richmond said: "It was so frustrating for me knowing that the person who actually carried out these terrible acts is still out there."

Last month at a bail application hearing, her barrister told a judge at Manchester Crown Court that the case against her was "weak" and she had "no case to answer".

CPS prosecutor Nazir Afzal said that "on the evidence currently available there is not a case in law which could proceed".