Stepping Hill deaths: Nurse Victorino Chua in court

Victorino Chua, 48, is accused of 34 offences in total

A nurse has appeared at Crown Court charged with murdering three patients at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport in 2011.

Victorino Chua, 48, of Churchill Street, Heaton Norris, is also charged with 31 other offences including causing GBH and attempted poisoning.

He is accused of murdering patients Tracey Arden, 44, Arnold Lancaster, 71, and Alfred Derek Weaver, 83.

He was remanded in custody to appear at Manchester Crown Court on 14 April.

He faces one count of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, 22 counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, seven counts of attempting to administer poison and one count of causing poison to be administered with intent.