A FILIPINO nurse was convicted Monday, May 18, of two counts of murder in the United Kingdom.
Victor Chua, 49, was found guilty of murdering Tracy Arden, 44, and Alfred Weaver, 83, by a Manchester Crown Court jury that had been deliberating for 11 days.
While working at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport (200 miles northwest of London) in June and July of 2011, Chua injected insulin into saline bags and ampules. The supplies were then used by other nurses who were unaware of the tampering, which led to insulin overdoses.
The Filipino nurse was also found guilty of 22 counts of attempted grievous bodily harm, one count of grievous bodily harm, seven attempts of administering poison and one count of administering poison, The Guardian reported.
He was sentenced on Tuesday, May 19.
Chua was acquitted of a third murder, that of Arnold Lancaster, 81, although he was convicted of attempting to inflict grievious bodily harm with intent by poisoning. He was also cleared of one count of manslaughter and one count of attempting to administer poison, according to The Guardian.
In a letter penned by Chua that was used as evidence, he wrote he was “an angel turned into an evil person” and that “there’s a devil in me.”
During the investigation leading to Chua’s arrest, detectives visited the Philippines where they discovered that the nurse left one hospital after being caught stealing. They also went to Galang Training College – which no longer exists – where Chua said he obtained his medical qualifications. Findings have led to doubts about the authenticity of Chua’s qualifications.
The lead of the investigation, Detective Superintendent Simon Barraclough, said Chua carried out his “sinister plan” through his unwitting colleagues and that he “deliberately poisoned and murdered those who were under his care and those who were at their most vulnerable and most in need of help.”
“He would then watch the fruits of his labor unfold, as absolute chaos ensued across the wards as colleagues fought to save patients whilst attempting to comprehend what was happening.”
Ann Barnes, chief executive of Stockport NHS Foundation trust, which runs Stepping Hill hospital, said the facility’s storage of saline and management of prescription charts at the time of the incident were in line with the standard used in hospitals across the country. However, due to what happened, additional measures have been implemented at Stepping Hill, she said. (With reports from Associated Press, Rappler and The Guardian)
(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Midweek May 20-22, 2015 Sec. A pg.1)
