BBC Scotland has ordered a new podcast series, which re-examines the case of Colin Norris, a former nurse from Glasgow, dubbed the “Angel of Death.”
In 2008 he was convicted of murdering 4 elderly patients and attempting to murder a 5th, in hospitals in Leeds.
For almost two decades, Norris has maintained his innocence and 16 years after his conviction, his case returned to the spotlight when new evidence, considered by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), threw doubt on his guilt.
The 8-parter, presented by journalist Louise Shorter for BBC Sounds follows the appeal process and asks the question: were any murders committed at all?
Disclosure Investigates: Killer on The Ward will carefully review medical records and revisit the suspected insulin poisoning of five women, who were recovering from hip surgery in hospitals in West Yorkshire.
It examines the evidence that underpins Norris’ convictions and reveals why experts continue to disagree on what may have happened.
Via a re-appraisal of key witness statements, and an examination of new science, the series reveals “a credible scenario in which the murders may never have taken place.”
The Court of Appeal ultimately upheld Norris’s convictions, and West Yorkshire police say they remain convinced this delivered justice for the victims and their families.
READ MORE – From Terror at the Terminal to Murder Case – new BBC Scotland commissions
The story does not end with the Court of Appeal’s judgment. Norris’s lawyers believe they have reached the legal threshold for this new evidence to be put to a jury and are taking their case to the European Court of Human Rights, on the basis that he deserves a fair trial.
“This is a complex case of human loss that continues to have a profound impact on those involved. This re-examining not only looks at one of Britain’s most controversial medical convictions, but also shines a light on the appeal process and the British justice system,” said Heather Kane-Darling, commissioning editor.
Disclosure Investigates: Killer on The Ward will be available on BBC Sounds from Thursday 24 September.
