Indian-origin nurse cleared of poisoning boss in UK

Image
Press Trust of India London
Last Updated : May 06 2014 | 7:43 PM IST
An Indian-origin dental nurse won "the battle of her life" when she was cleared of poisoning her boss with mercury after two separate juries failed to convict her.
Ravinder Kaur, 34, had denied charges of lacing her manager Laura Knowles' coffee with mercury amalgam used in dental fillings in revenge on March 16, 2012, three days after being given a warning about "poor behaviour" at work.
She has now spoken of her relief after the UK Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided not to pursue the case with a third trial.
"I felt freedom, I felt relieved. A huge weight has come off my shoulders I was really happy that I've won the battle of my life," she said.
A jury had failed to reach a verdict last May, with a second jury doing the same at Blackfriars Crown Court in London last month.
"It has been a horrifying, terrifying experience that has left me scarred. I am a broken person. My dignity and my career have been destroyed," she told Birmingham Mail.
"My life has been put on hold for two years; it has made me very unwell. I cannot describe the traumatic effect this has had on me. It has also taken a toll on the lives of my family in Birmingham who have stood by me throughout. I have been stigmatised and victimised," she added.
The court heard there was friction between Kaur and colleagues at Shams Moopen Dental Practice, in Shefford, Bedfordshire.
Three days before the coffee incident, she was handed a final written warning for allegedly leaving a patient unattended in the dental chair, an accusation Kaur denied.
The crown's case was that Kaur then took "a capsule or a number of capsules of mercury, and tipped it into a mug and handed the cup of coffee to Ms Knowles to drink".
The trial heard the metal can be deadly if inhaled and causes stomach cramps if swallowed.
Knowles was taken to hospital with stomach pain, sickness and dizziness. But Kaur insisted she had not spiked Knowles' coffee with mercury.
Kaur has now said she did not plan to return to the dental industry.
"The long and short of it is that the Crown have decided they don't wish to proceed further in this matter," a CPS spokesperson said.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: May 06 2014 | 7:43 PM IST

Next Story