Helpless victims were pumped with drugs (From Warrington Guardian)

Helpless victims were pumped with drugs

'CALLOUS' Crewe nurse Barbara Salisbury was jailed for five years on Friday for trying to murder two elderly patients in a ruthless efficiency drive to free up hospital beds at Leighton Hospital.

Salisbury, aged 48, an experienced ward sister, tried to pump her helpless victims with lethal doses of the painkiller diamorphine.

After deliberating for almost 13 hours, the jury at Chester Crown Court returned a unanimous verdict on the charge of attempting to murder Frank Owen, aged 92, of Nantwich.

They then returned a majority verdict on the charge of attempting to kill May Taylor, aged 88, of Crewe in 2002.

Sentencing Salisbury to five years on each count - to run concurrently - Mr Justice Pitchford told her she had broken her duty towards her patients and abused their trust by hastening their deaths.

During the seven-week trial, the jury heard how she 'deliberately and brazenly overstepped the line between humane nursing and callous dispatch'.

The court heard how she was dubbed the 'Graseby Queen' by one colleague, because she speeded up the Graseby syringe drivers delivering controlled doses to patients.

Prosecutor Robin Spencer QC said the married mother-of-two 'arrogated to herself the right to decide when patients should die'.

Salisbury was earlier cleared of two other charges - of attempting to murder retired salesman James Byrne, 76 of Davenham and Reuben Thompson, 81 a retired furniture maker from Crewe.

She had denied repeatedly pressing the boost button on a Graesby machine supplying diamorphine, making it bleep like a 'space invader machine' in a bid to kill Mr Byrne.

She also denied telling him 'give in, it's time to go'.

In the witness box she said: "I have probably said, 'It's ok for you to go now'. It's a term I often used to use in intensive care, meaning it's ok you can leave this life.

"I said it in a gentle way, to let them know there was somebody there."

In the case of Reuben Thompson, she denied the allegation that she moved him into a position where he would choke on his own saliva.

She broke down in tears of relief as the jury foreman announced the 'not guilty' verdicts, showing emotion for the first time in the trial.

One hour later, when the guilty verdicts came in, she could only stare downwards with a blank expression.