30-04-2025
Gosport War Memorial Hospital: Families' frustration in latest meeting as they search for answers
ITV News Meridian's Andrew Pate has been speaking to family members at a forum, updating them on the investigation.
Families who lost loved ones at Gosport War Memorial Hospital have told ITV News Meridian of their frustration at the slow pace of the police investigation.
It revealed many patients, who were often elderly and vulnerable, were prescribed and given powerful painkillers in a manner that violated medical protocols and standards.
Nearly thirty years after the deaths of their family members, many are still waiting for answers.
For some, the pain is compounded by the fact that they are now the same age their loved ones were when they died in the hospital.
Operation Magenta is one of the largest and most complex police inquiries in UK history.
Led by Det Ch Con Neil Jerome, the investigation is being hailed for its thoroughness, but there is growing concern among the affected families about the pace of progress.
Around 150 serving and retired police officers are working on Operation Magenta.
The Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, which is managing the investigation, code-named Operation Magenta, previously said 24 suspects were being interviewed, but have now confirmed this has risen to 29.
That includes 24 for alleged gross negligence manslaughter and five for alleged offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
So far, they have assessed more than 3 million pages of documents. This includes the medical records of over 750 patients and taken witness statements from more than 1,150 individual family members.
With nearly seven years having passed since the investigation's inception, many are feeling that justice is taking too long.
Linda Lacey, whose father Vernon Gregory died at the hospital said: "Everything seems to be stuck, that's the only way I can describe it, really.
"And I just feel very sad for a lot of people like myself getting older. I've just lost my sister a couple of weeks ago. And soon people there'll be nobody left in the family to fight for the ones that they've lost."
The son of Walter Wellstead, Tim, said: "Where are we after 27 years, no idea. I've got no idea at all."
Robert Logan, son of Robert Wilson, said: "Next year I shall be the same age as my father was when he died, and that's much the same for many other people in there."
"We cannot provide a timeline for the completion of this inquiry," Jerome stated. "This is a complex case, and we are committed to ensuring that every individual who may have been involved in these tragic events is thoroughly investigated."
The story of the Gosport War Memorial Hospital is far from over, and for those who have waited decades for answers, the fight for justice remains ongoing.
