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Stepping Hill Hospital poisoning re-arrest: Male nurse back in custody on murder charges

A nurse has been re-arrested at his home this morning over the Stepping Hill Hospital poisoning incident.

Nurse Victorino Chua, 48, was originally arrested in January 2012 in relation to the 2011 incident but in, light of new evidence, he has returned to police custody.

He had been bailed in November last year until March.

He has been arrested on suspicion of three counts of murder, 18 counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and offences of poisoning.

Police believe an employee at the hospital injected insulin into saline solution at the hospital, poisoning 22 patients.

Father-of-two Chua has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of Tracey Arden, 44, Arnold Lancaster, 71, Alfred Derek Weaver, 83, and the poisoning of 18 others.

Five of those who died are believed to be from natural causes: William Dickson (known as Bill), 82, Linda McDonagh, 60, John ‘Jack’ Beeley, 73, Beryl Hope, 70 and Mary Cartwright, 89.

Mr Chua, originally from the Philippines, appeared in person at Bury Magistrates in December last year and saw his bail conditions relaxed almost two years after his arrest, reducing the requirement to report to police from seven days-a-week to two.

Mr Chua, a registered nurse since 2003, was also barred from approaching any witnesses or attending any medical sites.

Fellow nurse Rebecca Leighton was originally arrested in July 2011 but the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the charges because of a lack of sufficient evidence against her that September.

She was dismissed from the Stockport hospital for taking drugs off the premises and suspended by the Nurse and Midwifery Council for three months.

After spending six weeks in prison, she sued Greater Manchester Police for aggravated damages for breach of confidence, misuse of private information, negligence and breach of a statutory duty and her legal costs.

Following her release from jail, Ms Leighton told ITV’s This Morning how she was too frightened to walk down the street alone.

She also said she had been portrayed as an ‘Angel of Death’ following her arrest.

Image courtesy of ITN via Youtube with thanks

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