Attempted murder accused was 'senior' nurse

A man who injected a record shop owner with a muscle relaxant used as a medical anaesthetic was a "senior member" of a hospital team, a court has heard.

Gary Lewis, 65, was attacked as he was behind the counter at Betterdaze in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, on 2 July last year.

Darren Harris, 58, of Middlesbrough, is on trial at Leeds Crown Court and has denied attempted murder and grievous bodily harm with intent, but has admitted administering a noxious substance.

Mr Harris is alleged to have used a syringe containing rocuronium taken from the hospital where he worked in anaesthetics to inject Mr Lewis.

Mr Harris was a member of the cardiothoracic theatre team at James Cook Hospital, having begun working as a porter in 1996 and then undertaking training to become an auxilliary nurse.

He later trained to become an Operating Department Practitioner working in aneasthetics in the hospital's cardiothoracic operating theatres.

Maria Stokes, a cardiothoracic matron, said: "Darren worked in theatres and absolutely was a senior member of the team who could be trusted to take charge."

Prosecutor Richard Herrmann asked if in his role he would need to have an understanding of the drugs used in the operating theatre.

Ms Stokes said he would to "ensure patient safety".

"He needs to know what drugs are required and when and how they work, the correct dosage and potential side effects," she added.

The prosecutor asked Ms Stokes about access to drugs in the theatres.

She said the drugs needed for theatre work were delivered once a day in sealed containers and were signed for by a qualified member of staff with a stock take at the end of the day.

When asked if Mr Harris would have access to all the drugs once assigned a theatre for the day, to go and prepare, Ms Stokes said he would.

However, she confirmed that opiods, such as morphine and fentanyl, were locked up and accounted for each day and required two qualified people's signatures to access them.

Dr David Berry, a clinical and forensic toxicologist, was earlier asked by the prosecutor about the effects of the drug rocuronium.

He said it was a "muscle relaxant" which was "frequently given to patients who require intubation".

He said it enabled a tube, to aid breathing for example, to be inserted into a patient's throat more easily.

The drug he said effectively paralyses the muscles of the body and said "the main risk is to the breathing muscles and if they stop working you're not breathing".

He said it was safe in a clinical setting with the equipment to maintain breathing.

Dr Berry was asked if there was a difference in its effects if it injected intramuscular or intravenously.

He said the effects were likely to be slower with an intramuscular injection.

The trial continues.

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