A male nurse accused of rape attacks on three pati
A male nurse accused of rape attacks on three patients and a colleague allegedly kept a antidote to the drug he used in ‘case of emergencies.
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Kevin Cobb, 38, killed fellow nurse Susan Annis after spiking her cider with Midazolam to try and leave her powerless to resist him, the Old Bailey has heard.
But his plan went tragically wrong when he found her dead on the floor of her room of London’s Royal Brompton Hospital, the jury has been told.
Two trainee doctors who helped Cobb try and revive the 31-year-old saw two syringes lying next to her body.
Prosecutor Mr Victor Temple, QC, today (Mon) alleged they may have contained Flumazenal, the antidote to Midazolam also found in a hospital room where Cobb is said to have drugged and raped a patient.
‘Why were they there?’ Mr Temple asked Cobb.
I never saw any syringe,’ he defendant replied.
‘Did they contain the antidote?’
I didn’t see any syringes in that room.
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The drug which could have saved Miss Annis was not found in her body.
A syringe full of Flumazenal was left at St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey in a room where Cobb is said to have raped a 33-year-old patient two years after Miss Annis
died.
Cobb claims he did not see it, even though he tidied up the room after allegedly attacking the woman as she lay paralysed on a trolley bed.
‘I suspect, indeed I suggest to you it was placed by you in that room in preparation of that woman having an adverse reaction,’ said Mr Temple.
‘That syringe was nothing to do with me,’ said Cobb.
I suggest you had it with you, as I have already suggested in case of emergency.
‘No.
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The male nurse could not explain why traces of Midazolam were found on his work tunic after the alleged rape of the patient.
But he refuted Mr Temple’s claim he had placed the empty ampule of Midazolam in his top pocket so it could not be found in a hospital bin by the police.
Cobb claims the 33-year-old must have been drugged accidentally when he used a syringe he found lying around to flush out a blood collecting device.
He said it had been marked up as containing saline solution – but accepted he should have thrown it away.
Cobb also admitted he had never used a syringe he had found before and he had never given a patient the same examination as he did the alleged rape victim.
‘Why did you pick that syringe up, something you had never done before, asked Mr Temple.
‘Because it was there and I thought it was ready to go, so I took it up,’ Cobb replied.
‘What you did was to try and take your opportunity to have sexual intercourse with this woman and you succeeded.
‘No.
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The nurse added: ‘I never touched a patient in that way you are suggesting.
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Cobb, of Michaelman Close, Yately, Hants, denies the manslaughter of Miss Annis, a Crawley Hospital nurse of Collwell Road, Haywards Heath.
He further denies two charges of rape, four of administering a stupefying substance with intent to rape, and four of administering a stupefying substance with intent to indecently assault.
The trial continues.
ends
