Stockport Nurse Describes Tamper Charge Horror

20 September 2011, 11:31 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

A nurse accused of tampering with saline solution at a Stockport hospital has spoken of her horror at being dubbed an ``angel of death'' and ``killer nurse'' by newspapers.

A nurse accused of tampering with saline solution at a Stockport hospital has spoken of her horror at being dubbed an ``angel of death'' and ``killer nurse'' by newspapers.

Rebecca Leighton said she was "passionate'' about her job and wanted to return to a "normal life'' after charges against her were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) earlier this month.

"It was hard. I learned, obviously, through what I had been through, not to look too far down the line as to which way my life is going to go,'' she told ITV1's This Morning.

"I just had that little bit of faith that this is going to end and it has got to end because surely they have got to realise at some point that it is not me.''

She's been speaking in her first interview after being charged in July with contaminating saline solution at Stepping Hill Hospital.

The 27-year-old spent more than six weeks in custody but was dramatically freed on September 2 after proceedings against her were discontinued.

Last week she was cleared to return to work by the Nursing and Midwifery Council subject to conditions, despite admitting to the theft of opiate-based drugs.

But she remains suspended on full pay by Stepping Hill while inquiries continue into allegations that she stole medication.