Jailed nurse was 'cold and hard'

Relatives were not aware of Salisbury's misconduct

The son of one of the victims of Barbara Salisbury, the nurse jailed for trying to kill two elderly patients, described her as "cold and hard".

Harold Owen said: "Frank, my father, was a hard-working man and he deserved to be treated with dignity at the end of his life."

Complaints over Salisbury's behaviour were first reported by fellow nurses.

The police praised hospital staff for their "full collaboration" during the two-year investigation.

Witnesses

During a press conference, Detective Superintendent Adrian Wright praised the relatives of the victims, saying they had "remained brave and strong throughout what has been a very lengthy and complex inquiry".

He said several elements had made the case difficult to investigate.

Problems included a lack of forensic evidence, no post-mortem examinations and the fact the bodies had not been exhumed.

"Yes, it is anecdotal and it's historic complaints over several years," he said during a question and answer session with the press.

"But you still have to consider the fact that there was a number of work colleagues independently coming forward and expressing discomfort at her actions and her conduct."

Motive

He also said that the motive behind Salisbury's actions was still unclear, though it had been alleged she might have wanted to free hospital beds.

Police said there will be no more inquiries into deaths at the hospital

A forensic toxicologist, Professor Robert Forrest, told BBC News 24 that making space for other patients was "not the most common motive" but one "that does come up from time to time".

"I have seen things like this before and there have been similar cases in the US," he said.

Torment and stress

Mr Owen said: "I do remember her (Salisbury) at Leighton, how cold and hard she was. It was in contrast to other nurses who were so very caring.

"We would like to thank the nurses who were brave enough to stand up to Barbara Salisbury and report her to the authorities.

"The past two years have been heartbreaking and we wish to leave this terrible time behind us. This is a very sad moment."

Alison Williams, the granddaughter of May Taylor who Salisbury was also convicted of trying to kill, said the past two years had put her family "through a lot of heartache, torment, and stress".

'Deeply shocked'

"Life is given to us and only God has the right to take it away," she said.

"The memory of all this will stay with us for the rest of our lives, but it is something our family will have to deal with.

"Today, my nan, May Taylor, can finally rest in peace knowing justice has been done."

Later on Friday, the chief executive of the Mid Cheshire NHS Trust, Simon Yates, expressed his shock at what had happened.

He said an independent external inquiry would take place, and that staff at Leighton Hospital in Crewe were hoping to move on.

"We are devastated and deeply shocked that such crimes could have been committed by a member of our staff and one in whom we had every right to place our trust.

"Barbara Salisbury was judged to be a competent and well-trained nurse yet she totally betrayed her patients and her calling in this, the most heinous of ways."