Body of murder charge nurse found

The offences are said to have been committed between 2000 and 2002

A nurse charged with the murder of three patients in West Yorkshire has been found dead at her home.

Anne Grigg-Booth, 51, from Nelson, Lancashire, was due to go on trial for the murder of three elderly women at Airedale General Hospital in Keighley.

Ms Grigg-Booth was charged in September 2004 and was due to next appear in court in April 2006.

Police said the former night matron's death on Monday was not being treated as suspicious.

Ms Grigg-Booth was also charged with the attempted murder of a 42-year-old man and 13 counts of unlawfully administering poison to 12 other patients.

Family condolences

She was accused of the murder of Jane Driver in 2000, Eva Blackburn in 2001 and Annie Midgley in 2002.

The attempted murder charge related to the death of Michael Parker in 2002.

A spokeswoman for West Yorkshire Police said Ms Grigg-Booth's body was discovered in the early hours of Monday by a neighbour.

A post-mortem examination is due to be carried out on Tuesday, they said.

The coroner, Airedale General Hospital and the CPS have been informed of her death.

A spokeswoman for Airedale General Hospital said staff were sorry to learn of her death and offered their condolences to her family.