Nurse jailed for murder of elderly patients loses conviction appeals
A nurse who was jailed for life for the murders of four elderly patients and attempting to murder a fifth has lost appeals against his convictions at the Court of Appeal.
Colin Campbell, formerly known as Colin Norris, was found guilty in 2008 of killing Doris Ludlam, Bridget Bourke, Irene Crookes and Ethel Hall.
They were inpatients on orthopaedic wards where Campbell worked in Leeds in 2002 before they died, and had developed severe, unexplained hypoglycaemia.
Campbell denied any wrongdoing and said he did nothing to cause hypoglycaemia in any of the patients.
His case was referred to the Court of Appeal in London by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) in 2021, which said previously that the prosecution relied on 'wholly circumstantial' evidence.
In a 14-day hearing earlier this year, Campbell's lawyers argued new expert knowledge meant the convictions were now unsafe while lawyers for the Crown Prosecution Service said much of the same evidence presented was heard by the jury at trial.
In a ruling on Thursday, judges dismissed his appeals.
In their judgment, Lady Justice Macur, Mr Justice Picken and Sir Stephen Irwin said: 'We have no doubt about the safety of any of the five convictions. The appeals are dismissed.'
Campbell was convicted in 2008 after a five-month trial at Newcastle Crown Court, during which time a total of 20 experts gave evidence.
The nurse unsuccessfully appealed against his conviction in 2009 and applied to the CCRC in 2011.
Michael Mansfield KC, for Campbell, told an appeal hearing earlier this year the jury had asked whether there were other cases of patients suffering from 'sudden and profound' hypoglycaemia in any of the Leeds teaching hospitals after Campbell stopped working.
Four such cases had since been identified, Mr Mansfield told the court, with the deaths recorded between January 2003 and August 2005.
The barrister also noted the 'remarkably similar' ages of all nine cases, with the patients being between 78 and 93, but this 'was not discussed' at the trial.
But Lady Justice Macur, Mr Justice Picken and Sir Stephen Irwin said these cases did not help Campbell's appeals.
They said in their judgment: 'On our own analysis, the 'extra' cases serve to underline rather than undermine this aspect of the phenomena that are said to be distinctive in those cases of administration of exogenous insulin.'
James Curtis KC, for the CPS, said during the appeal hearings that there was 'very little evidence of any sudden and severe hypoglycaemia when it is caused naturally' and 'seemingly no evidence' of this in the patients Campbell was convicted of killing.
He said the medical literature shows that sudden and unexpected severe hypoglycaemia 'remains rare', while the possibility of dying by natural causes was 'fully explored' at trial.
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Extra virgin olive oil, in particular, is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants, which help to reduce inflammation and improve your cholesterol. Sunflower oil, which contains more polyunsaturated fats but hardly any antioxidants, has a higher smoke point, so it's a good option for people who fry a lot. But for salads and vegetables, and if you tend to cook on a medium heat, olive oil is the best.' Despite its high monounsaturated fat content and calorific concentration, cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil appears to possess miraculous health-giving properties. When it comes to cholesterol, for example, research has found that it helps balance our ratio of HDL to LDL, the so-called 'good' and 'bad' cholesterols. For Moore, the antioxidants, vitamin E and unique polyphenols (which help stabilise our blood pressure) found in olive oil combine to make it the supremely healthy option, but she stresses the importance of it being extra virgin. 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'Nuts are very easy to over-consume,' says Moore, 'especially when they've been roasted and salted. Not only does that process cause them to lose some of their benefits, but it also makes them more addictive. People tend to massively overeat them – so you end up getting a huge calorie hit without even noticing it.' Unfortunately, there's no simple answer. 'The ideal amount is individual to each person depending on their age, activity levels and overall health,' says Moore. 'The way we respond to fat is also largely dictated by genetics. Certain individuals are more prone to inflammation and higher LDL cholesterol. In general, however, the recommendations are that we should get 20 to 30 per cent of our calories from fat. But bear in mind that eggs, meat, fish, dairy, all contain fat. If you then add olive oil, which is 120 calories per tablespoon, it can quickly mount up.' As well as getting the right balance between saturated and unsaturated fats, portion control is crucial. NHS guidelines state that, per day, men should not eat more than 30g of saturated fat and women should not eat more than 20g. It's worth noting, however, that 'good' unsaturated fat can be harmful if you consume too much of it. There are three main categories of dietary fat: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. These all serve different purposes in our body, and all provide some benefit when consumed in their whole, natural form. Saturated fats, chiefly found in meat and dairy, are solid at room temperature, while unsaturated fats are liquid. Both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are good for your health, but differ slightly in chemical composition and health benefits. Monounsaturated fats, found in olive oil, avocados and nuts, contain some saturated fat (olive oil, for example, contains about 20 per cent saturated fat). 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