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Nurse quizzed over 'sabotage' deaths

Pa
Wednesday 20 July 2011 12:26 EDT
(PA)

Detectives are tonight questioning a 27-year-old nurse over the deaths of three patients at a hospital.

Rebecca Leighton was arrested on suspicion of murder at her home address in Stockport, Manchester, at 6am today.

The unexplained deaths at Stockport's Stepping Hill Hospital of Tracey Arden, 44, George Keep, 84 and Arnold Lancaster, 71, are all being linked to the deliberate contamination of saline solution with insulin.

Crime scene investigators are at the scene of the suspect's flat in Buxton Road, Heaviley, - situated above a shop about a mile from the hospital where she works.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NWC) confirmed that Ms Leighton had been arrested.

NWC chief executive Professor Dickon Weir-Hugh said: "The NMC has now received confirmation from the Greater Manchester Police Force Intelligence Branch and Stockport NHS Foundation Trust that registered nurse Rebecca Leighton has been arrested and is being questioned by the police.

"We have commenced fitness to practise proceedings with a view to suspending her from the register as quickly as possible.

"The NMC is the only organisation with the authority to protect the public by suspending a nurse's registration while they are under investigation.

"As this is now an open fitness to practise investigation, we are unable to provide further comment about the details of the case at this time."

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