Hospital death probe woman named

16 July 2011 Last updated at 16:01 GMT Tracey Arden's brother Gary said news of the investigation was a shock

A 44-year-old grandmother has been named as one of three patients whose deaths at a Stockport hospital are being investigated by police.

Tracey Arden, from Stockport, and two men, aged 71 and 84, died following the deliberate contamination of saline solution at Stepping Hill Hospital.

Police were alerted when insulin was discovered in a batch of 36 saline ampoules that had been tampered with.

Detectives said the deaths were being treated as unexplained.

Officers are awaiting the results of post-mortem examinations.

Eleven patients who survived the effects of the medication are to be interviewed by police.

Concerns were raised on Tuesday when an experienced nurse at the hospital reported a higher than normal number of patients with low blood sugar levels on her ward.

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We have someone deliberately contaminating saline in the one place that people should feel they are being most cared for”

End Quote Assistant Chief Constable Terry Sweeney Insulin was subsequently found in a batch of 36 saline ampoules in a hospital storeroom.

Multiple sclerosis patient Ms Arden, a mother-of-two and grandmother, died on 7 July.

Her parents, Keith and June, visited her on that afternoon but were later called by hospital staff and told she had "taken a turn for the worse".

By the time they arrived back at Stepping Hill their daughter had died.

Ms Arden's funeral has been delayed while police investigate.

Her brother, Gary Arden, said news of the investigation was a shock as the family had initially been told she had died from a lung and chest infection related to her multiple sclerosis.

The contamination of the saline was not restricted to a single ward, the hospital said

"We accepted that as a family, that her time had come and that was the cause," he said.

"At this point in time my hope for me and my family is that the investigation takes its due course and we find that Tracey has nothing to do with this. "

The two male victims died this week. The 71-year-old man is believed to have been terminally ill while the nature of the 84-year-old man's illness has not been disclosed.

Greater Manchester Police said it was focusing its investigation from 7 July onwards but would review previous deaths at the hospital if new information came to light.

Increased security measures have been put in place at the hospital to protect patients currently receiving treatment there.

Anyone entering may now be searched and police are interviewing staff and visitors.

Chris Burke, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust's chief executive, said: "We have increased security both in terms of access to the hospital and access to medicines and already replaced all saline ampoules across the hospital.

"We are doing all we can to protect our patients and ensure their safety while under our care."

Assistant Chief Constable Terry Sweeney, of Greater Manchester Police, said: "We have someone deliberately contaminating saline in the one place that people should feel they are being most cared for.

"I want to reassure everyone connected to the hospital - staff, patients, visitors and the wider community - that we are determined to prevent further harm and to bring the offender to justice."

Mr Sweeney said police were still waiting to find out if the contamination of the saline "contributed to the deaths of these three people".

Mark Hunter, MP for Cheadle, said: "This is obviously a very serious matter, I have to say I think the hospital have acted entirely responsibly, acted very promptly calling the police in as soon as they knew there was a problem."

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Scots police probe hacking claims

8 July 2011 Last updated at 14:32 GMT Andy Coulson (centre) and Bob Bird (right) gave evidence at Tommy Sheridan's trial Prosecutors have asked Strathclyde Police to examine specific claims of phone hacking in Scotland by the News of the World newspaper.

The Crown Office has also asked the force to "assess specific claims" of breaches of data protection.

It comes after a dossier was handed to police on Thursday containing a list of people in Scotland who allegedly had their phones hacked by the newspaper.

Prosecutors will consider whether the inquiry findings merit further action.

This is the second move in 24 hours by the Crown Office to investigate allegations against the News of the World.

Defamation case

It comes amid a developing maelstrom at UK level which has resulted in the News of the World publisher, News International, deciding to close the paper after this Sunday's edition.

As the fallout from the scandal gathered pace, Scottish prosecutors announced on Thursday that they had asked Strathclyde Police to look at witness statements given at the Tommy Sheridan perjury trial.

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A judge-led public inquiry into the appalling hacking activity at News of the World...is clearly the right and proper course of action”

End Quote Alex Salmond MSP First Minister In December last year, Sheridan was convicted of lying at his successful defamation case against the newspaper in 2006.

The News of the World claimed he was an adulterer who had visited a sex club.

When Sheridan defended himself during the trial, he questioned three senior figures from the newspaper - former UK editor and then Number 10 communications director Andy Coulson, Scottish editor Bob Bird and news editor Douglas Wight.

Sheridan claimed that his phone had been hacked by private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, who was jailed, along with the newspaper's former royal editor Clive Goodman in 2007, for intercepting voice messages for members of the royal household.

While being questioned by Sheridan, Mr Coulson, Mr Bird and Mr Wight all denied any knowledge of wrongdoing at the newspaper.

Mr Coulson and Clive Goodman were arrested on Friday by the Metropolitan Police who are investigating allegations of phone hacking and corruption.

Two inquiries

Amid fast-moving events, Prime Minister David Cameron has also announced two inquiries into the hacking scandal.

On Thursday, hours after the Crown Office asked police to look at evidence given during the Sheridan perjury trial, the former MSP's lawyer, Aamer Anwar, and Labour MP Tom Watson, called for a full investigation into the News of the World's activities in Scotland and of the evidence given during the trial.

Both men later handed in a dossier to Strathclyde Police which they allege contains details of illegal practices by the newspaper.

Tom Watson and Aamer Anwar handed a dossier over to Strathclyde Police

The Crown Office has now asked the force to examine those allegations and report its findings.

A Crown Office statement said: "In light of further emerging developments regarding the News of the World, the Crown has asked Strathclyde Police to consider and assess specific claims of phone hacking and breaches of data protection in Scotland.

"Strathclyde Police will review available information and will liaise with the Metropolitan Police in relation to any Scottish dimension to their current investigations and will thereafter report their findings to the area procurator fiscal at Glasgow."

Meanwhile, First Minister Alex Salmond said "a judge-led public inquiry into the appalling hacking activity at News of the World, and breaches of data protection laws across the newspaper industry, is clearly the right and proper course of action".

Mr Salmond added: "In terms of the additional inquiry announced by the prime minister into the broader conduct of the press, if he is discussing its scope and remit with opposition leaders at Westminster, he must also consult with the parliaments and assemblies of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, given the diversity of the media across the different nations of the UK."

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Probe into banned activist in UK

29 June 2011 Last updated at 14:12 GMT Sheikh Raed Salah was detained on Tuesday evening An investigation has been launched after a leading Israeli-Arab activist managed to enter the UK despite being banned.

Home Secretary Theresa May said Sheikh Raed Salah had been excluded from the UK and the UK Border Agency was taking steps to remove him.

But his solicitor said Sheikh Salah had "no knowledge" of a travel ban and had not tried to conceal his identity.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper accused the government of incompetence.

Sheikh Salah has Israeli citizenship and is the leader of the Islamic Movement in Israel.

The movement, whose stated aim is to advocate Islam among Arab Israelis, offers education and social services and promotes a Palestinian nationalistic stance.

Sheikh Salah was detained by police late on Tuesday evening in London after he returned from a meeting in Leicester, where he had addressed a 500-strong audience.

Islamic leader Sheikh Raed Salah addressed a 500-strong audience in leicester yesterday before being detained last night in London.

The Home Office said he had been accused of making anti-Semitic remarks and was not allowed into this country because his presence would be "not conducive to the public good".

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) said he was the leader of a legitimate political organisation.

PSC director Sarah Colborne said he rejected all forms of racism, including anti-Semitism.

"This is a legitimate organisation, which Israel has never moved to ban," she said.

"Before coming to Britain, he faced horrific allegations of anti-Semitism, which he completely refuted.

"He has clarified his position of being opposed to all forms of racism, including anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and racism against his own people, the Palestinians."

'Incompetent sham'

Mrs May said although the government did not normally comment on individual cases, in this case it was important to do so.

"I can confirm he was excluded and that he managed to enter the UK. He has now been detained and the UK Border Agency is now making arrangements to remove him.

"A full investigation is now taking place into how he was able to enter."

But Labour's Yvette Cooper said the government's rhetoric of being tough on border controls had been "exposed as an incompetent sham", amid planned cuts of 5,000 UKBA jobs.

"The Home Secretary needs to urgently explain why an individual banned from this country was allowed to walk in and instead of being stopped at the border had to be pursued by the police instead.

"Only this week Theresa May said that coming to this country was a privilege and she would refuse entry to Britain of anyone that she deemed not conducive to the public good. Her words now ring very hollow indeed."

Israel's Arab community numbers about 1.4 million, some 20% of the population. It includes Palestinians who remained in Israel after the 1948 establishment of the Jewish state and their descendants.

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Woman held in phone-hacking probe

23 June 2011 Last updated at 12:00 GMT Police are probing claims News of the World staff illegally accessed public figures' phone messages Police investigating claims of phone hacking at the News of the World have arrested a woman in West Yorkshire.

The woman, 39, is understood to be Terenia Taras, the partner or former partner of Greg Miskiw, who worked in senior roles for the paper until 2005.

The arrest was made as part of Operation Weeting, launched by the Met Police in January.

Inquiries are focusing on the interception of mobile and voicemail messages.

Mr Miskiw was a former head of news, assistant editor and head of the News of the World's Manchester Office.

The paper's former royal reporter Clive Goodman and private detective Glenn Mulcaire were jailed for intercepting messages from the Royal Family.

Newspaper 'co-operating fully'

Police reopened their inquiry into the hacking claims after allegations that other public figures - including MPs - had their messages intercepted.

Since then, three News of the World journalists have been arrested but none have been charged with any offence.

News International, which owns the newspaper, issued a statement saying Thursday's arrest did not relate to a current employee or a former full-time staff member.

"We have been co-operating fully with the police inquiry since our voluntary disclosure of evidence reopened the police investigation," the statement said.

"Since then we have been determined to deal with these issues both on the criminal and civil side. In April we admitted liability in several civil cases and we are attempting to bring these to a fair resolution."

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Police probe two disqualified AMs

19 May 2011 Last updated at 16:59 GMT John Dixon and Aled Roberts were disqualified less than a fortnight after being elected A police investigation has started into two Liberal Democrats who have been disqualified from the Welsh assembly.

It emerged this week John Dixon and Aled Roberts, elected nearly two weeks ago, were members of public bodies to which AMs cannot belong.

The joint inquiry by South Wales Police and North Wales Police is in its early stages and follows a complaint of electoral fraud.

The party blamed an "honest mistake" and said it would co-operate fully.

Mr Dixon, a Cardiff councillor, was elected on the South Wales Central regional list, and Mr Roberts, until this week leader of Wrexham council, was elected Lib Dem AM for the North Wales region.

They were disqualifed after it emerged Mr Dixon was still a member of the Care Council for Wales, which regulates social care workers.

Mr Roberts was a member of the Valuation Tribunal for Wales, which deals with appeals about business rates and council tax.

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It was a genuine mistake. There are provisions in law that allow us to rectify it.”

End Quote Kirsty Williams Welsh Lib Dem leader They have now both resigned from the organisations.

South Wales Police said they would lead the investigation after consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service.

The complaint came from UKIP MEP John Bufton, who wrote to the chief constables of both forces.

A separate investigation by the clerk of the assembly has been halted while police investigate.

Welsh Lib Dem leader Kirsty Williams, whose party won five of the assembly's 60 seats at the election, said: "It is a matter of regret to me that this mistake has been made and the Welsh Liberal Democrats did not have a comprehensive system in place to check our candidates against what is a long list of excluded bodies.

'Administrative error'

"We regret that very much indeed.

"We regret the fact that this administrative error was made. It wasn't made with any malice. It was a genuine mistake. There are provisions in law that allow us to rectify it."

She added: "But yes, this is an honest mistake that was made and we are now fully co-operating with both the inquiries that are going on."

Mr Bufton said: "Lots of other candidates will have given up esteemed positions and much-loved jobs in order to stand.

"It is not fair to allow these two particular prospective members to be let off the hook, even if they are pleading ignorance."

The Lib Dems initially said the matter was a "technicality" and both would be reinstated with cross-party support. But a motion that would have allowed them back into the assembly was withdrawn on Wednesday when it emerged Labour would not support it.

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The law is quite plain. It simply states the election by which they became AMs was void and it's as if the election had not taken place and they had not been elected”

End Quote Winston Roddick QC Former counsel general The former chief legal adviser to the assembly has said their election was void.

Winston Roddick QC, who was the first counsel general to the assembly, told BBC Radio Wales the participation of either men in any assembly vote could render it invalid or leave it open to legal challenge.

He said: "The law is quite plain. It simply states the election by which they became AMs was void and it's as if the election had not taken place and they had not been elected.

"What you have are two vacancies. The question is who now should be occupying these seats?"

He said the second-place candidates on the party's regional lists should take up the seats.

The second-place candidate in north Wales was former AM Eleanor Burnham who told BBC Wales she was "sympathetic and saddened that such an embarrassing mistake should have been made".

She said: "My only concern is to get this clarified as soon as possible so that whoever becomes the next North Wales Assembly Member for the Liberal Democrats is elected as soon as possible or instated as soon as possible."

Asked if she would take the seat if offered to her, she said: "I believe so. I've done it before. I've worked very hard over the last 10 years and obviously I'm number two on the list."

Presiding Officer Rosemary Butler said: "I take it very seriously because standards in public life are very, very important and the reputation of the assembly is highly significant.

"And so it really is for the members to decide how they will take this forward."

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Probe of fatal caravan park blaze

12 June 2011 Last updated at 02:52 GMT The caravan was destroyed by the fire, which began in the early hours of Saturday An investigation is continuing into the cause of a caravan fire early on Saturday that killed two men and left a two-year-old girl with severe burns.

A man aged 58 and his son, 26, died in the blaze at Sunny Sands caravan park near Barmouth, in Talybont, Gwynedd.

It is believed the fire started accidentally in the awning of their touring caravan before engulfing it.

The older man's 50-year-old wife and their granddaughter were rescued from the fire by fellow holidaymakers.

The injured pair were airlifted to Ysbyty Gwynedd Hospital. The girl was later transferred to Alder Hey Children's Hospital, in Liverpool.

Her grandmother sustained superficial burns to her forearm, police said.

The family, who were regular visitors to the park, are believed to be from Flint in north Wales.

A spokeswoman for North Wales Police and the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said of the blaze, which broke out at about 0145 BST: "At the moment it looks as though it was accidental."

Ian Williams, 31, from Wrexham, was on holiday at the park with his wife and two-year-old daughter.

He said he had spoken to the family on Friday night and watched as the 26-year-old man had taken to the stage to sing a Kings Of Leon song.

"They were in the club singing and dancing. All four of them were on the stage," said Mr Williams.

He added: "My wife woke me up at about 2.30am and we thought someone was fighting because of all the shouting. I looked out and you would not believe how fast it went up. It was scary to be honest."

The coastal caravan park has been owned and operated by the same family for more than 45 years.

Jeremy Mead, director of the site, said it was working with the police to establish the fire's cause.

He said: "We would like to express our deepest sympathy to the family. It's upsetting for us because they were regular visitors to the park."

The site, set in the Snowdonia National Park, is popular with families and holidaymakers who are attracted by the area's miles of sandy beaches.

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Police chief in recruitment probe

27 May 2011 Last updated at 18:24 GMT Sean Price has strongly refuted the accusation The chief constable of Cleveland Police is being investigated over a claim he used undue influence to get a person appointed to the force.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is investigating the allegation against Sean Price.

The claim arose during an investigation into some people associated with Cleveland Police Authority.

Mr Price denied the "malicious" allegation and said he would assist the IPCC in every way.

He said: "I completely refute the accusation, which I regard as malicious as I took no part in the recruitment process.

'Cleared up'

"I further believe the allegation is mischievous in seeking to cause comparison with recent events in other forces.

"I realise the IPCC need to investigate this matter and will assist in every way that I can.

"I want the matter to be cleared up as soon as possible and I am sure that everyone will realise the damage that such an allegation could have on my personal standing and confidence in the force."

Peter Race, chairman of Cleveland Police Authority, said: "Whilst we fully understand the role of the IPCC in investigating complaints, we fully support our chief constable in his clear statement refuting the accusations, which he regards as malicious and mischievous.

"We fully support his wish that this matter should be resolved at the earliest opportunity in both his interests and that of the force as a whole."

A separate criminal investigation is under way into a number of people with current or past associations with Cleveland Police Authority and is being conducted by Warwickshire Police's Chief Constable Keith Bristow.

The IPCC said it was not actively involved in this criminal investigation, but is being kept informed about its progress.

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