Stepping Hill murderer says he will fight to prove innocence
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Version 0 of 1. Stepping Hill nurse Victorino Chua has claimed he is “completely innocent of any wrongdoing”, after being jailed for murdering patients in his care. Chua was jailed for 35 years for murdering and poisoning patients at the hospital in Stockport, but said he would fight to prove his innocence, in a statement issued by his lawyers. “I now face a minimum of 35 years in custody for crimes I did not commit,” Chua said. “I will never cease my efforts to prove my innocence and remain confident that the justice system will ultimately prevail, not just for myself but also for the victims of these terrible crimes and their families, for whom I have every sympathy and for whom justice has not been served by this wrongful conviction.” Chua said he had maintained his innocence throughout his arrest and trial and that his position had not changed. “Prior to my trial, I spent two years on restrictive police bail followed by a year on remand in custody and have throughout consistently denied my involvement. “After a four-month trial the jury, after considering the evidence, which was entirely circumstantial, for a period of over three weeks, reached verdicts which, while I respect the jury’s integrity and good faith, are not in accordance with the truth of the matter.” The justice system will ultimately prevail, not just for myself but also for the victims and their families Chua called for new evidence to catch “the true perpetrator of these crimes” and said anyone with information should contact his lawyer Jeremy Moore of CM Solicitors. The 49-year-old, described by police as a narcissistic psychopath, was sentenced for two murders and 20 other poisonings at Manchester crown court on Tuesday. He will be 84 before his 35-year minimum term expires and he becomes eligible for parole. He was found guilty of murdering Tracy Arden, 44, and Alfred Weaver, 83. Another victim, Grant Misell, 41, was left with brain damage after being poisoned. Prosecutors said Chua had taken out his personal frustrations on patients, drawing attention to a self-penned letter, “the bitter nurse confession”, found at his home. He wrote of having “a devil in me” and said he had secrets that he would “take to the grave”. Chua’s statement came hours after the Manchester South coroner, John Pollard, said he was poised to investigate 11 more suspicious deaths at Stepping Hill, but stressed there was nothing at this stage to prove any link to Chua. Pollard told the Daily Mail: “There are 13 inquests or potential inquests in the pipeline, including those into the [two] people where Chua has been convicted of murder. I am aware there were other victims of poisoning, one or more of whom may well have died subsequently but their deaths have not been referred to me.” |