Triple murder probe nurse bailed

8 January 2012 Last updated at 19:06 ET

Police said 21 people were now believed to have been affected by contaminated saline at the hospital

A nurse arrested on suspicion of murdering three patients at Stepping Hill Hospital has been released on bail pending further inquiries.

Victorino Chua, 46, had also been held on suspicion of 18 counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

He was initially arrested on Thursday over the tampering of records at the Stockport hospital.

Mr Chua has been bailed in relation to all matters until an unconfirmed date in April, police said.

Officers had been questioning Mr Chua in relation to the deliberate contamination of products at the hospital between 1 June and 15 July.

'Extremely complex'

He was arrested as it emerged a fourth death at the hospital was being investigated, and was initially held over reports medical forms were altered and a patient given extra medication.

Assistant Chief Constable Terry Sweeney, of Greater Manchester Police, said: "The public perception is that, in most cases, once a person is arrested they are subsequently charged.

"The reality is very different and it is not unusual for someone arrested for an offence - whatever that might be - to be bailed in order for officers to carry out further inquiries.

"I want to reiterate what we have said from the outset; that this is an extremely complex investigation that requires very detailed forensic and medical analysis.

"These inquiries must be done thoroughly, carefully and with integrity and cannot be rushed.

"It is also important to reiterate that we are continuing to follow the evidence in our search for the truth and cannot rule out making more arrests further down the line."

'Ask for patience'

He added: "This man has been bailed in order for us to continue with our work and it is vital that the public, and in particular the media, do not jump to conclusions or second guess what the outcome of this man's arrest or our wider investigation will be.

"I know the victims and their families as well as hospital staff and residents want answers.

"I am acutely aware of this and determined to provide these answers but ask for patience while we continue this investigation."

There are now 21 people detectives believe have been affected by contaminated saline at Stepping Hill, including Tracey Arden, Arnold Lancaster and Derek Weaver, who died in the summer.

Bill Dickson, 82, had his saline poisoned over the summer, and later died on New Year's Eve. He is currently being treated as one of the victims of GBH with intent.

Continue Reading... Labels: bailed, Murder, Nurse, probe, Triple

Murder inquiry at Queen's estate

3 January 2012 Last updated at 09:52 ET

The woman's remains were found on the Queen's Sandringham estate by a dog walker

A murder inquiry has begun after human remains were found on the Queen's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.

Det Ch Insp Jes Fry, of Norfolk Constabulary, said officers were examining cold cases across the UK for potential links.

The force has confirmed the remains were that of a woman.

A dog walker made the discovery at Anmer, near King's Lynn, on New Year's Day. The area has been cordoned off.

Police said the identity of the woman was not yet known.

Detectives would not speculate on the age of the woman or comment on whether the body was clothed.

Cold cases reviewed

"We are at the very early stages of the investigation and it could be a complex inquiry," said Mr Fry.

"I cannot confirm whether she was clothed because, at the moment, only my staff, the person who found the body and the person or people who put it there know that - and I would like it to stay that way.

"The body has been in situ for some time but I can't comment on whether that is weeks, months or years.

"The circumstances suggest this is a murder case and we are looking at missing persons reports and cold cases, both locally and nationwide."

The body was found in a wooded area on farmland at the 20,000-acre (8,000 hectare) royal estate.

Forensic tests

Forensic science experts are carrying out a detailed search of the area - about a mile from the main gate to Sandringham House.

Mr Fry said it was not yet clear if the woman was killed at the scene or taken there after her death.

The body is expected to be recovered later and taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in King's Lynn, where post-mortem tests will take place.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, along with the Earl and Countess of Wessex, have been staying on the Sandringham Estate.

Buckingham Palace would not comment on the discovery, saying it was a "matter for Norfolk police".

Continue Reading... Labels: estate, inquiry, Murder, Queen's

Pair guilty of Lawrence murder

3 January 2012 Last updated at 11:46 ET

 

Doreen Lawrence: "How can I celebrate when my son lies buried?"

Two men have been convicted of the racist murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence, 18 years after he was stabbed to death near a south London bus stop.

Gary Dobson and David Norris were found guilty by an Old Bailey jury after a trial based on forensic evidence.

Scientists found a tiny bloodstain on Dobson's jacket that could only have come from Mr Lawrence.

They also found a single hair belonging to the teenager on Norris's jeans. Sentencing will be on Wednesday.

In an exclusive interview with the BBC's Panorama, Stephen's mother Doreen Lawrence said: "I don't forgive the boys who killed Stephen. They don't think they have done anything wrong.

"They took away Stephen's life and there is nothing in their behaviour or anything to show they regret what their actions have done and the pain it has caused us as a family."

Gary Dobson and David Norris: Denied murder

In a statement read by his lawyer outside the Old Bailey, Stephen's father, Neville Lawrence, said the convictions were a moment of joy and relief - but he could not rest until all of those who killed his son were brought to justice. He described the investigation and preparation of the case as "faultless".

Duwayne Brooks, Stephen's best friend who had been with him on the night of the murder, tweeted: "Some justice at last".

'Prime suspects'

The original failed investigation into the murder led to the Metropolitan Police being branded as institutionally racist.

Stephen Lawrence was 18 when he was stabbed to death near a bus stop in Eltham, south London, in April 1993.

Police identified five men who were later named in a damning public inquiry as the "prime suspects".

By that time, there had already been a catalogue of police errors and two failed prosecutions, one brought by Stephen's parents.

But in a four-year-long cold case review, a fresh team of forensic scientists uncovered microscopic evidence linking two of the five men to the murder - evidence that the police had held all along.

The material - bloodstains, clothing fibres and a single hair belonging to the teenager - were recovered from the clothes of the suspects which had been seized in 1993.

Scientists recovered the material using advanced techniques which were not available to the original case scientists.

Dobson, 36, and Norris, 35, denied the murder. They said their clothing had been contaminated as police mixed up evidence over the years. Detectives spent months establishing the movements and handling of the exhibits since 1993 - and the jury were told that contamination was implausible.

Dobson was jailed for five years in 2010 for drugs trafficking. He is among a small number of men to have been tried twice for the same crime after the Court of Appeal quashed his 1996 acquittal for the murder.

Norris was convicted in 2002 of a separate allegation of racially threatening behaviour.

In mitigation, ahead of sentencing on Wednesday, counsel for Dobson said there was no evidence he had been the leader or prime motivator of the group that attacked the teenager.

Panorama follows Stephen Lawrence's mother, Doreen, as she returns to her son's grave in Jamaica

Norris's counsel repeated his client's pleas of innocence - and revealed his client had been beaten up while on remand at Belmarsh prison, suffering a broken nose and four broken ribs.

Mr Justice Treacy discharged the jury and thanked them for their "dedicated service". He told them the public owed them a debt of gratitude.

As the defendants left the dock, Dobson told his family not to worry, and Norris waved to the gallery. Members of both men's families shouted back.

'Unique case'

Acting Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick, who ordered the 2006 cold case review that led to the convictions, said the case had been extremely important for the Lawrence family, the Metropolitan Police and society at large.

She said: "It's a matter of huge regret to the Met that it has taken 18 years to get to this point.

"It has been a unique case in policing. Firstly the horrible, horrible nature of the attack on the night, the time in which it has taken to bring anybody to justice, and the tireless campaigning of the Lawrences.

"There is no comparable case. All homicide cases are terrible, but for us it is a very important case.

"Most importantly, we wanted to be able to bring people to justice for the killing and try to give Doreen and Neville Lawrence and their family some sense of justice."

Continue Reading... Labels: guilty, Lawrence, Murder

Three bailed over student murder

30 December 2011 Last updated at 10:36 ET

Lancaster University student Anuj Bidve was shot at close range

Three teenagers arrested over the murder of an Indian student shot dead in Salford have been released on bail.

Anuj Bidve, 23, was shot in the head at close range in Ordsall Lane at 01:35 GMT on Boxing Day.

Greater Manchester Police apologised after it emerged Mr Bidve's father heard about the murder via Facebook.

Five people were arrested on suspicion of murder and a 16-year-old and two 17-year-olds have now been bailed pending further inquiries.

Mr Bidve was in a group of nine Indian students who were visiting Greater Manchester during the holidays.

Officers believe he was shot by a white man in his early-20s and are treating the killing murder as a hate crime.

Continue Reading... Labels: bailed, Murder, student, Three

Murder inquiry after bodies found

12 December 2011 Last updated at 10:56 ET

BBC's Ed Thomas: 'Police are not looking for anyone else in connection with these deaths'

A murder investigation has started after the discovery of the bodies of a couple and their two young sons at a house in Leeds.

The bodies were found in a fire-damaged bedroom at a detached house in Sheridan Way, Pudsey, on Sunday evening.

Richard Smith, 37, and Clair Smith, 36, were found along with Ben Smith, nine, and one-year-old Aron Smith.

It is understood that West Yorkshire Police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.

Det Supt Paul Taylor, from West Yorkshire's Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: "Initially, we had concerns regarding the release of harmful chemicals or gases.

"Following testing, we no longer have any concerns with regards to those working at the scene and we will continue our investigations today.

"Inquiries are at an early stage and I would ask anyone with information about the incident to contact the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team."

'Beautiful boys'

Post-mortem examinations are due to be carried out later.

Dean Turnbull, a friend of the Smith family who had known them for about 15 years, said he was "in shock" over their deaths.

He said the Smiths were "a lovely family with lovely kids".

Friends of the family brought floral tributes to the scene of the tragedy

Mr Turnbull's wife, Sara, was in tears as she left flowers at the police cordon.

The message on her bouquet said: "You were such a beautiful family. All our love to you. We can't believe you are all gone."

Mr Smith's cousin, Gary Tempest, said: "It is so unbelievable this has happened.

"They were the perfect family."

Family friend Sarah Wilson was in tears as she laid flowers.

She said she once held Aron in her arms as her sister was a neighbour, and added: "Such beautiful little boys. Both of them."

Continue Reading... Labels: After, bodies, found, inquiry, Murder