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Former Nurse Jailed Last Year
23/12/2009
A Glasgow nurse who is serving at least 30 years in jail for murdering four patients has lost his appeal against his convictions.
Former staff nurse Colin Norris was jailed last year after being convicted of killing four women in 2002 at Leeds General Infirmary and St James' Hospital, also in Leeds.
In a lengthy trial, Newcastle Crown Court heard that Norris gave his victims huge doses of insulin. He was also found guilty on one case of attempted murder.
And the conviction has been upheld by judges at the Court of Appeal in London. Norris was not present to hear the ruling.
Lord Justice Aikens, sitting with two other judges, ruled that his convictions were "safe". He announced that the case against Norris, 33, was "very strong indeed".
When he was sentenced at the crown court, trial judge Mr Justice Griffith Williams told Norris: "You are, I have absolutely no doubt, a thoroughly evil and dangerous man."
He was convicted of killing Doris Ludlam, 80, Bridget Bourke, 88, Irene Crookes, 79, and Ethel Hall, 86. Jurors also found him guilty of trying to kill Vera Wilby, 90.
Police began an investigation after a doctor noticed in November 2002 that Mrs Hall had slipped into a hypoglycaemic coma despite not being a diabetic.
Blood tests showed she had insulin levels 12 times the norm, and she died three weeks later.
The judges rejected both grounds of appeal which related to directions given to the jury by the trial judge.
Copyright © Press Association 2009
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