2011 Stepping Hill Hospital poisoning incident

August 2026 2011 serial murder in the United Kingdom October 2026 December 2024 Stepping Hill Hospital - geograph.org.uk - 1759670.jpg Stepping Hill Hospital in 2010 Stockport, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom In 2011, multiple deathsAugust 2026 how many deaths occurred? occurred at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. After suspicions were raised concerning the similarities of the deaths, a murder inquiry was launched. Nurse Victorino Chua was found to have poisoned several patients with insulin. He was convicted of murder in 2015 and sentenced to life imprisonment. Background and investigation The investigation was sparked by a nurse on a ward at the hospital, who noticed that several patients on the ward had unexpectedly low blood sugar levels. An investigation suggested that a number of saline ampoules and saline drips had been contaminated with insulin,https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-14166920 BBC News – Police investigate three deaths at Stepping Hill Hospital BBC 15 July 2011 23 July 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110722051417/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-14166920 22 July 2011 live and this was believed to have lowered the blood sugar levels in the patients. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas to allow the uptake of glucose in the blood to be used by the muscles and cells of the body for energy. The brain requires a constant supply of glucose in order to be able to function properly. As insulin lowers the level of glucose in the blood, if too much of it is present in the circulation this can quickly lead to lowered blood glucose levels, commonly known as low blood sugar (or hypoglycemia); which as a consequence negatively affects the functioning of the brain and central nervous system. This can be rapidly and irreversibly fatal if not recognised and treated early enough. At Stepping Hill it was suspected that, due to the increased levels of insulin in the patients' bloodstreams, they quickly became hypoglycemic and three confirmed fatalities occurred. A number of other patients are also believed by police to have been poisoned in this way, though most did not suffer fatal consequences. Two further deaths in the A1 and A3 wards were added to the investigation on 21 July. Three patients' deaths – two elderly men, George Keep, 84 and Arnold Lancaster, 71, and a woman, Tracey Arden, 44 – were attributed to the alleged contamination,https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-14199024 Stepping Hill Hospital deaths: Suspect 'may be on site' BBC News 19 July 2011 23 July 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110722051410/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-14199024 22 July 2011 live although it was also reported that each of the patients also had underlying medical conditions that made them weaker. On 21 July 2011, it was confirmed that two more patients' deaths were being linked to the investigation, bringing the death count to five.http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1441840_breaking-five-deaths-at-stepping-hill-hospital-now-being-investigated-in-saline-sabotage-case https://archive.today/20130420231749/http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1441840_breaking-five-deaths-at-stepping-hill-hospital-now-being-investigated-in-saline-sabotage-case dead 20 April 2013 Tributes to 5th patient to die in Stepping Hill saline sabotage probe as police are given more time to question nurse Manchester Evening News menmedia.co.uk 11 July 2011 23 July 2011http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Stepping-Hill-Hospital-Five-Patients-Dead-After-Saline-Sabotage-As-Nurse-Rebecca-Leighton-Held/Article/201107316034887?lpos=UK_News_Carousel_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_16034887_Stepping_Hill_Hospital%3A_Five_Patients_Dead_After_Saline_Sabotage_As_Nurse_Rebecca_Leighton_Held Stepping Hill Hospital: Nurse Rebecca Leighton Held For More Time After Five People Have Now Died Sky News 23 July 2011 Greater Manchester Police (GMP) announced that the inquiry into how saline solutions had been contaminated with insulin would form the basis of a murder inquiry. During the investigation, 60 detectives were involved in determining how and when the saline solutions were contaminated. Meanwhile, several armed police guards were stationed at the hospital, and staff were made to work in pairs when administering medication to patients. Rebecca Leighton On 20 July 2011, GMP confirmed that they had arrested a 27-year-old nurse – Rebecca Jane Leighton, who worked at the hospital in wards A1 and A3 – in connection with the murder inquiry.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-14214375 Stepping Hill Hospital: Nurse arrested in murder probe BBC News 20 July 2011 23 July 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110721190831/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-14214375 21 July 2011 live The Nursing and Midwifery Council opened a fitness to practice investigation after the arrest of Leighton.Nursing regulator opens fitness to practise proceedings in Stepping Hill case http://www.nmc-uk.org/Press-and-media/Latest-news/Nursing-regulator-opens-fitness-to-practise-proceedings-in-Stepping-Hill-case/ Nursing and Midwifery Council 20 July 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110914222900/http://www.nmc-uk.org/Press-and-media/Latest-news/Nursing-regulator-opens-fitness-to-practise-proceedings-in-Stepping-Hill-case/ 14 September 2011 deadFord Steve Registered nurse arrested over Stepping Hill deaths named http://www.hsj.co.uk/news/legal/registered-nurse-arrested-over-stepping-hill-deaths-named/5032828.article 20 July 2011 Health Service Journal 20 July 2011 On 22 July, Leighton appeared at Manchester City Magistrates' court. She was charged with three counts of criminal damage with intent to endanger life, three counts of criminal damage being reckless as to whether life was being endangered, and one charge of theft. She was remanded in custody to next appear at Manchester Crown Court on 1 August.Stepping Hill Hospital: Rebecca Leighton remanded in custody https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-14259202 BBC News 23 July 2011 23 July 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110723171048/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-14259202 23 July 2011 live Charges against Leighton were dropped on 2 September 2011. The Crown Prosecution Service said it was "no longer appropriate" to continue the case against her. Evidence that was expected to appear in support of the charges had not become available. Nazir Afzal, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the North West, said Leighton had been charged on the basis there was "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".Stepping Hill saline deaths: Nurse Rebecca Leighton charges dropped https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-14769486 BBC News 2 September 2011 2 September 2011 She subsequently hired celebrity publicist Max Clifford to help clear her name.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-14817456 BBC News Rebecca Leighton: Nurse seeks help from Max Clifford 7 September 2011 On 2 December 2011, it was reported that Leighton had been dismissed from her job as a nurse at Stepping Hill Hospital. She had been suspended ever since the allegations were first made nearly five months earlier.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-16009023 BBC News Nurse Rebecca Leighton dismissed from Stepping Hill 2 December 2011 She appealed against her termination in a hearing in February 2012, but the trust dismissed the appeal. The trust was unable to comment due to confidentiality issues and there was no response from Leighton's lawyers.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-16878821 BBC News Stepping Hill nurse Rebecca Leighton loses sack appeal 3 February 2012 It was also revealed on that day that police were investigating a total of 19 deaths at the hospital as possible victims of saline poisoning. Victorino Chua Victorino Chua 46 2012 Life imprisonment On 5 January 2012, it was revealed that a death had occurred on 31 December 2011, after Leighton had been dismissed, and was now being linked to the investigation. Forty-six-year-old Victorino Chua, a nurse at the hospital, had been arrested amid claims that forms had been altered and a patient given extra medication.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-16425566 BBC News Stepping Hill Hospital saline inquiry: Nurse arrested 5 January 2012 He was later also questioned on the earlier deaths.https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/jan/08/stepping-hill-nurse-questioning London The Guardian Helen Carter Stepping Hill hospital nurse bailed 8 January 2012 He was not charged with any offence and was placed on police bail. By July 2012, GMP stated that they were making good progress in the investigation, that 22 people had been poisoned and that seven deaths had occurred.Stepping Hill probe making good progress http://www.gmp.police.uk/content/WebsitePages/39B75DCED2569ADF80257A3800290443?OpenDocument Greater Manchester Police 30 September 2012 July 2012 17 December 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131217224547/http://www.gmp.police.uk/content/WebsitePages/39B75DCED2569ADF80257A3800290443?OpenDocument dead On 29 March 2014, Chua was charged with the murders of Tracey Arden, Arnold Lancaster and Alfred Derek Weaver, and 31 other offences including grievous bodily harm and attempted poisoning. He was remanded in custody to appear at Manchester Magistrates' Court later. The prosecution argued that Chua had decided to take out his personal frustrations on patients "for reasons truly known only to himself".https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-26795910 BBC News Stepping Hill deaths: Nurse Victorino Chua charged with murder 29 March 2014 On 18 May 2015, Chua was convicted on two counts of murder.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-32782153 BBC News Stepping Hill nurse Victorino Chua guilty of murdering patients 18 May 2015 He was found not guilty of murdering Arnold Lancaster, who had been suffering from terminal cancer, but was convicted of attempting to cause him and 20 other patients grievous bodily harm with intent by poisoning. He was also found guilty of eight offences of unlawfully administering or causing to be taken by another person any poison or destructive or noxious thing with intent to injure, aggrieve or annoy, or attempt to do so, after deliberately altering prescriptions. The jury at Manchester Crown Court had deliberated for 11 days.Nurse, Victorino Chua, found guilty http://www.gmp.police.uk/live/Nhoodv3.nsf/WebsitePages/8F1E494100468EED80257E49004316C2?OpenDocument 18 May 2015 Greater Manchester Police 18 May 2015 26 May 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150526024618/http://www.gmp.police.uk/live/Nhoodv3.nsf/WebsitePages/8F1E494100468EED80257E49004316C2?OpenDocument dead'Evil angel' nurse guilty of murder http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/uk/evil-angel-nurse-guilty-of-murder-31231264.html 18 May 2015 Belfast Telegraph 18 May 2015Fallowfield Carl Nurse guilty of murdering patients http://www.cumbriacrack.com/2015/05/18/nurse-guilty-of-murdering-patients/ 18 May 2015 Cumbria Crack 18 May 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150523072727/http://www.cumbriacrack.com/2015/05/18/nurse-guilty-of-murdering-patients/ 23 May 2015 dead Mr Justice Openshaw sentenced Chua, a Filipino national, to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 35 years, meaning he will be 84 years old when he becomes eligible for parole.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-32795255 Stepping Hill nurse Victorino Chua jailed for life BBC News 19 May 2015 25 May 2015 See also Benjamin Geen, British nurse who murdered two patients and committed grievous bodily harm to 15 others Lucy Letby, British nurse who murdered seven infants and attempted murder on another eight References External links Sentencing remarks of Mr Justice Openshaw Category:2011 in England Category:2011 murders in the United Kingdom Category:2010s in Greater Manchester Category:Crime in Greater Manchester Category:Deaths by poisoning Category:History of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport Category:Hospital scandals Category:July 2011 in the United Kingdom Category:Medical controversies in the United Kingdom Category:Stockport Category:Serial murders in the United Kingdom