The appeal of a former nurse who was convicted of murdering four elderly patients is a “straightforward” case, the Court of Appeal has heard.
Colin Campbell, formerly known as Colin Norris, was found guilty in 2008 of killing four women by injecting them with insulin and was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Doris Ludlam, 80, Bridget Bourke, 88, Irene Crookes, 79, and Ethel Hall, 86, were inpatients on orthopaedic wards where Campbell worked in Leeds in 2002 and developed unexplained hypoglycaemia.
However, the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which referred the case to the Court of Appeal four years ago, said prosecutors had relied on a “wholly circumstantial” case.
Campbell, originally from Glasgow, was also found guilty of attempting to murder another inpatient, with his sentence carrying a minimum term of 30 years.
On the 13th day of the appeal hearing in London, judges heard closing submissions from Campbell’s barristers.
In written submissions, Michael Mansfield KC said: “The appellant submits that this is a straightforward case in which this court must conclude that these convictions are unsafe.”
Campbell, who denied any wrongdoing and said he did nothing to cause hypoglycaemia, unsuccessfully appealed against his conviction in 2009 and applied to the CCRC in 2011.
James Curtis KC, representing the Crown Prosecution Service, told the court there were “certain matters to which we take exception” from the defence’s closing submissions.
“There are a number of matters that I would seek to issue corrections on, things we firmly disagree with my learned friend on,” he said.
The appeal before Lady Justice Macur, Sir Stephen Irwin and Mr Justice Picken is due to conclude on Friday.
