This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-33054675
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Joshua Gafney death: Accused nurse 'kind and empathetic' | Joshua Gafney death: Accused nurse 'kind and empathetic' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A mental health nurse who gave a lethal overdose of a prescription drug to a patient was "kind and empathetic", a court was told. | |
| Amanda Young is accused of giving 14 times the amount of an anti-psychotic drug prescribed to Joshua Gafney at his home in Yeovil in February 2012. | Amanda Young is accused of giving 14 times the amount of an anti-psychotic drug prescribed to Joshua Gafney at his home in Yeovil in February 2012. |
| Bristol Crown Court heard a second character witnesses say Ms Young was "dedicated to her profession". | Bristol Crown Court heard a second character witnesses say Ms Young was "dedicated to her profession". |
| The 40-year-old, of Yeovil, denies manslaughter by gross negligence. | The 40-year-old, of Yeovil, denies manslaughter by gross negligence. |
| 'Rough justice' | 'Rough justice' |
| Her defence also told jurors at least two other nurses had given Mr Gafney similar doses in the days leading up his death. | Her defence also told jurors at least two other nurses had given Mr Gafney similar doses in the days leading up his death. |
| But the prosecution said Ms Young was responsible for the fatal dose. | But the prosecution said Ms Young was responsible for the fatal dose. |
| In his closing statement, Mr John Price, prosecuting, said: "Is this rough justice? Is this fair because all these nurses got confused by the labelling on the bottles?" | In his closing statement, Mr John Price, prosecuting, said: "Is this rough justice? Is this fair because all these nurses got confused by the labelling on the bottles?" |
| He then answered his own question, saying: "No, this wasn't rough justice because the overdoses given by the other nurses hadn't caused Joshua Gafney's death." | |
| He added Ms Young was "grossly negligent" and this was manslaughter. | He added Ms Young was "grossly negligent" and this was manslaughter. |
| Elizabeth Marsh QC, defending, said Ms Young's actions were "a mistake by a compassionate and focussed nurse" but that mistake had caused his death. | Elizabeth Marsh QC, defending, said Ms Young's actions were "a mistake by a compassionate and focussed nurse" but that mistake had caused his death. |
| She went on to say "there was not a day that had gone by since, that Amanda Young had not dwelled on the mistake she had made". | She went on to say "there was not a day that had gone by since, that Amanda Young had not dwelled on the mistake she had made". |
| She added: "Maybe it's not as simple as the prosecution are suggesting. Maybe administering this medication wasn't simple." | She added: "Maybe it's not as simple as the prosecution are suggesting. Maybe administering this medication wasn't simple." |
| The jury also heard it was "unusual" for that particular drug to be administered in a liquid form and none of the nurses was familiar with it. | The jury also heard it was "unusual" for that particular drug to be administered in a liquid form and none of the nurses was familiar with it. |
| The judge is expected to sum up on Tuesday and send the jury out to consider their verdict. | The judge is expected to sum up on Tuesday and send the jury out to consider their verdict. |