Megan Haines: Difference between revisions

Line 3:

==Background==

Haines managed to obtain permanent Australian residency.<ref name=ABCbail>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-30/ballina-nurse-megan-haines-refused-bail/6434876 Ballina nurse Megan Haines charged with murdering two nursing home patients refused bail] - Karl Hoerr writing for ABC, April 2015</ref> After coming to Australia, she began work in nursing homes at least eight years prior to the crimes.<ref name=SMHjailed>[http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/megan-haines-jailed-for-27-years-for-murdering-patients-at-ballina-nursing-home-20161216-gtchbb.html Megan Haines jailed for 27 years for murdering patients at Ballina nursing home] - Josh Dye for ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', December 2016</ref> While in the Australian state of Victoria she became embroiled in three separate misconduct allegations and her nursing licence was restricted so she could only practice nursing if her employer gave six-monthly progress reports on her.<ref name=SMHknew/><ref name=SMHjailed/> In April 2014 she began work at the St Andrews Village nursing home in Ballina, on the North Coast of New South Wales.<ref name=SMHknew/> The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency has records of Haines registered as a nurse in Ballina since February 10, 2012.<ref name=StarAppears/>

Haines managed to obtain permanent Australian residency.<ref name=ABCbail>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-30/ballina-nurse-megan-haines-refused-bail/6434876 Ballina nurse Megan Haines charged with murdering two nursing home patients refused bail] - Karl Hoerr writing for ABC, April 2015</ref> After coming to Australia, she began work in nursing homes at least eight years prior to the crimes.<ref name=SMHjailed>[http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/megan-haines-jailed-for-27-years-for-murdering-patients-at-ballina-nursing-home-20161216-gtchbb.html Megan Haines jailed for 27 years for murdering patients at Ballina nursing home] - Josh Dye for ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', December 2016</ref> While in the Australian state of Victoria she became embroiled in three separate misconduct allegations and her nursing licence was restricted so she could only practice nursing if her employer gave six-monthly progress reports on her.<ref name=SMHknew/><ref name=SMHjailed/> This restriction was set to last for eighteen months.<ref name=SMHallegedly/> In April 2014 she began work at the St Andrews Village nursing home in Ballina, on the North Coast of New South Wales.<ref name=SMHknew/> The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency has records of Haines registered as a nurse in Ballina since February 10, 2012.<ref name=StarAppears/>

She was soon the subject of further complaints. Marie Darragh, 82, told St Andrews Village boss Wendy Turner "I needed some cream applied to my fanny ... and I asked her to apply some cream to which Megan said cover yourself up you look disgusting, switched the light off and left." Darragh said this was the only time she had ever met Haines. Isabella Spencer, 77, said Haines would not take her to use the bathroom and to instead "piss in her pad". A third, unnamed, resident complained of rough treatment.<ref name=ABCsentence/>

==Murders==

Upon arrival for a May 9, 2014 night shift at St Andrews Village Haines was informed of the complaints by Darragh and Spencer, and that a third complaint was pending.<ref name=SMHjailed/> Darragh and Spencer were found unresponsive by staff the following morning from apparent strokes.<ref name=SMHjailed/> Emergency services rushed to the scene but both died before help arrived.<ref name=StarAppears/> A third resident, Marjorie Patterson, 88, complained of waking during the same night to find Haines assaulting her by giving her unneeded painkillers.<ref name=ABCbail/><ref name=StarAppears/> A May 13 meeting was meanwhile set up between Haines and her managers to discuss the complaints against her.<ref name=SMHknew/> Routine tests showed insulin had been injected into both victims, poisoning them, and on May 15 detectives arrived at Haines's North Coast home to search it and question her.<ref name=SMHknew/> Detectives from Sydney's homicide team and Richmond Local Area Command combined forces to form Strike Force Odimi to investigate the attacks on sleeping elderly women.<ref name=StarAppears/>

Upon arrival for a May 9, 2014 night shift at St Andrews Village Haines was informed of the complaints by Darragh and Spencer, and that a third complaint was pending.<ref name=SMHjailed/> Darragh and Spencer were found unresponsive by staff the following morning from apparent strokes.<ref name=SMHjailed/> Emergency services rushed to the scene but both died before help arrived.<ref name=StarAppears/> They were later formally declared dead in hospital.<ref name=SCDLismore>[https://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/woman-accused-ballina-murders-lismore-trial/3019111/ Woman accused of Ballina murders to face Lismore trial] - Chris Calcino writing for ''The Sunshine Couast Daily'', May 2016</ref> A third resident, Marjorie Patterson, 88, complained of waking during the same night to find Haines assaulting her by giving her unneeded painkillers.<ref name=ABCbail/><ref name=StarAppears/> Police believe she would have died had she not woken.<ref name=SMHallegedly>[http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nurse-megan-haines-allegedly-killed-patients-after-complaints-against-her-20140708-zt0a5.html Nurse Megan Haines allegedly killed patients after complaints against her] - Rose Powell writing for ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', July 2014</ref> A May 13 meeting was meanwhile set up between Haines and her managers to discuss the complaints against her.<ref name=SMHknew/> Routine tests showed insulin had been injected into both victims, poisoning them, and on May 15 detectives arrived at Haines's North Coast home to search it and question her.<ref name=SMHknew/> Detectives from Sydney's homicide team and Richmond Local Area Command combined forces to form Strike Force Odimi to investigate the attacks on sleeping elderly women.<ref name=StarAppears/> The only injuries on the deceased were needle marks on their arms.<ref name=SMHallegedly/>

==Legal process==

After an investigation which included surveillance of Haines's phone calls<ref name=SMHknew/> the killer was arrested by plain clothes officers in an unmarked car on July 7; she did not resist and walked willingly to the car.<ref>[https://www.northernstar.com.au/videos/police-footage-arrest-megan-haines/23067/ Police footage of the arrest of Megan Haines], ''The Northern Star'', July 2014</ref> At that time she was in Seaspray, Victoria and local police arrested her, with a court hearing at Melbourne's Magistrates Court the following day beginning the extradition process back to New South Wales.<ref name=StarAppears>[https://www.northernstar.com.au/news/woman-arrested-over-ballina-nursing-home-murders/2311557/ Former nurse appears in court over nursing home deaths] - Rebecca Lollback, "rstevens<sup>[sic]</sup>" and Marnie Johnston writing for ''The Northern Star'', July 2014</ref> Magistrate Duncan Reynolds ordered her extradited and to receive treatment for depression.<ref name=StarAppears/>

After an investigation which included surveillance of Haines's phone calls<ref name=SMHknew/> the killer was arrested by plain clothes officers in an unmarked car on July 7; she did not resist and walked willingly to the car.<ref>[https://www.northernstar.com.au/videos/police-footage-arrest-megan-haines/23067/ Police footage of the arrest of Megan Haines], ''The Northern Star'', July 2014</ref> At that time she was in Seaspray, Victoria and local police arrested her, with a court hearing at Melbourne's Magistrates Court the following day beginning the extradition process back to New South Wales.<ref name=StarAppears>[https://www.northernstar.com.au/news/woman-arrested-over-ballina-nursing-home-murders/2311557/ Former nurse appears in court over nursing home deaths] - Rebecca Lollback, "rstevens<sup>[sic]</sup>" and Marnie Johnston writing for ''The Northern Star'', July 2014</ref> Magistrate Duncan Reynolds ordered her extradited and to receive treatment for depression.<ref name=StarAppears/> Joanne Findley, representing Haines, said the depression was severe and this combined with Haines never being detained before made her client vulnerable.<ref name=SMHallegedly/>

At a hearing before the New South Wales Supreme Court in April 2015 Haines argued the circumstantial nature of the evidence against her amounted to a weak case which made her ongoing pretrial detention unlawful.<ref name=ABCbail/> Justice Geoffrey Bellew disagreed, ruling the case may be circumstantial but was not weak, and ordered her to remain locked up.<ref name=ABCbail/>

At a hearing before the New South Wales Supreme Court in April 2015 Haines argued the circumstantial nature of the evidence against her amounted to a weak case which made her ongoing pretrial detention unlawful.<ref name=ABCbail/> Justice Geoffrey Bellew disagreed, ruling the case may be circumstantial but was not weak, and ordered her to remain locked up.<ref name=ABCbail/> In May 2016 she was arraigned on two counts of murder at the New South Wales Supreme Court in Sydney and committed for trial after pleading not guilty.<ref name=SCDLismore/>

Haines was 46 when arrested.<ref name=StarAppears/> By the time her 2½-week trial in October and November 2016<ref name=SMHjailed/><ref name=SMHknew/> was over she was 49 at the time of her December 2016 sentencing.<ref name=ABCsentence/> She was tried before Justice Peter Garling at the New South Wales Supreme Court in Lismore.<ref name=ABCsentence/><ref name=SCDLismore/>

==Trial and evidence==

Line 25:

Line 27:

[[Category:Doctors and Scientists]]

[[Category:Female Villains]]

[[Category:Mentally Ill]]

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 ==Background==
-Haines managed to obtain permanent Australian residency.<ref name=ABCbail>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-30/ballina-nurse-megan-haines-refused-bail/6434876 Ballina nurse Megan Haines charged with murdering two nursing home patients refused bail] - Karl Hoerr writing for ABC, April 2015</ref> After coming to Australia, she began work in nursing homes at least eight years prior to the crimes.<ref name=SMHjailed>[http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/megan-haines-jailed-for-27-years-for-murdering-patients-at-ballina-nursing-home-20161216-gtchbb.html Megan Haines jailed for 27 years for murdering patients at Ballina nursing home] - Josh Dye for ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', December 2016</ref> While in the Australian state of Victoria she became embroiled in three separate misconduct allegations and her nursing licence was restricted so she could only practice nursing if her employer gave six-monthly progress reports on her.<ref name=SMHknew/><ref name=SMHjailed/> In April 2014 she began work at the St Andrews Village nursing home in Ballina, on the North Coast of New South Wales.<ref name=SMHknew/> The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency has records of Haines registered as a nurse in Ballina since February 10, 2012.<ref name=StarAppears/>
+Haines managed to obtain permanent Australian residency.<ref name=ABCbail>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-30/ballina-nurse-megan-haines-refused-bail/6434876 Ballina nurse Megan Haines charged with murdering two nursing home patients refused bail] - Karl Hoerr writing for ABC, April 2015</ref> After coming to Australia, she began work in nursing homes at least eight years prior to the crimes.<ref name=SMHjailed>[http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/megan-haines-jailed-for-27-years-for-murdering-patients-at-ballina-nursing-home-20161216-gtchbb.html Megan Haines jailed for 27 years for murdering patients at Ballina nursing home] - Josh Dye for ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', December 2016</ref> While in the Australian state of Victoria she became embroiled in three separate misconduct allegations and her nursing licence was restricted so she could only practice nursing if her employer gave six-monthly progress reports on her.<ref name=SMHknew/><ref name=SMHjailed/> This restriction was set to last for eighteen months.<ref name=SMHallegedly/> In April 2014 she began work at the St Andrews Village nursing home in Ballina, on the North Coast of New South Wales.<ref name=SMHknew/> The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency has records of Haines registered as a nurse in Ballina since February 10, 2012.<ref name=StarAppears/>
 She was soon the subject of further complaints. Marie Darragh, 82, told St Andrews Village boss Wendy Turner "I needed some cream applied to my fanny ... and I asked her to apply some cream to which Megan said cover yourself up you look disgusting, switched the light off and left." Darragh said this was the only time she had ever met Haines. Isabella Spencer, 77, said Haines would not take her to use the bathroom and to instead "piss in her pad". A third, unnamed, resident complained of rough treatment.<ref name=ABCsentence/><!--All the complaint details are in this one reference-->
 ==Murders==
-Upon arrival for a May 9, 2014 night shift at St Andrews Village Haines was informed of the complaints by Darragh and Spencer, and that a third complaint was pending.<ref name=SMHjailed/> Darragh and Spencer were found unresponsive by staff the following morning from apparent strokes.<ref name=SMHjailed/> Emergency services rushed to the scene but both died before help arrived.<ref name=StarAppears/> A third resident, Marjorie Patterson, 88, complained of waking during the same night to find Haines assaulting her by giving her unneeded painkillers.<ref name=ABCbail/><ref name=StarAppears/> A May 13 meeting was meanwhile set up between Haines and her managers to discuss the complaints against her.<ref name=SMHknew/> Routine tests showed insulin had been injected into both victims, poisoning them, and on May 15 detectives arrived at Haines's North Coast home to search it and question her.<ref name=SMHknew/> Detectives from Sydney's homicide team and Richmond Local Area Command combined forces to form Strike Force Odimi to investigate the attacks on sleeping elderly women.<ref name=StarAppears/>
+Upon arrival for a May 9, 2014 night shift at St Andrews Village Haines was informed of the complaints by Darragh and Spencer, and that a third complaint was pending.<ref name=SMHjailed/> Darragh and Spencer were found unresponsive by staff the following morning from apparent strokes.<ref name=SMHjailed/> Emergency services rushed to the scene but both died before help arrived.<ref name=StarAppears/> They were later formally declared dead in hospital.<ref name=SCDLismore>[https://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/woman-accused-ballina-murders-lismore-trial/3019111/ Woman accused of Ballina murders to face Lismore trial] - Chris Calcino writing for ''The Sunshine Couast Daily'', May 2016</ref> A third resident, Marjorie Patterson, 88, complained of waking during the same night to find Haines assaulting her by giving her unneeded painkillers.<ref name=ABCbail/><ref name=StarAppears/> Police believe she would have died had she not woken.<ref name=SMHallegedly>[http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nurse-megan-haines-allegedly-killed-patients-after-complaints-against-her-20140708-zt0a5.html Nurse Megan Haines allegedly killed patients after complaints against her] - Rose Powell writing for ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', July 2014</ref> A May 13 meeting was meanwhile set up between Haines and her managers to discuss the complaints against her.<ref name=SMHknew/> Routine tests showed insulin had been injected into both victims, poisoning them, and on May 15 detectives arrived at Haines's North Coast home to search it and question her.<ref name=SMHknew/> Detectives from Sydney's homicide team and Richmond Local Area Command combined forces to form Strike Force Odimi to investigate the attacks on sleeping elderly women.<ref name=StarAppears/> The only injuries on the deceased were needle marks on their arms.<ref name=SMHallegedly/>
 ==Legal process==
-After an investigation which included surveillance of Haines's phone calls<ref name=SMHknew/> the killer was arrested by plain clothes officers in an unmarked car on July 7; she did not resist and walked willingly to the car.<ref>[https://www.northernstar.com.au/videos/police-footage-arrest-megan-haines/23067/ Police footage of the arrest of Megan Haines], ''The Northern Star'', July 2014</ref> At that time she was in Seaspray, Victoria and local police arrested her, with a court hearing at Melbourne's Magistrates Court the following day beginning the extradition process back to New South Wales.<ref name=StarAppears>[https://www.northernstar.com.au/news/woman-arrested-over-ballina-nursing-home-murders/2311557/ Former nurse appears in court over nursing home deaths] - Rebecca Lollback, "rstevens<sup>[sic]</sup>" and Marnie Johnston writing for ''The Northern Star'', July 2014</ref> Magistrate Duncan Reynolds ordered her extradited and to receive treatment for depression.<ref name=StarAppears/>
+After an investigation which included surveillance of Haines's phone calls<ref name=SMHknew/> the killer was arrested by plain clothes officers in an unmarked car on July 7; she did not resist and walked willingly to the car.<ref>[https://www.northernstar.com.au/videos/police-footage-arrest-megan-haines/23067/ Police footage of the arrest of Megan Haines], ''The Northern Star'', July 2014</ref> At that time she was in Seaspray, Victoria and local police arrested her, with a court hearing at Melbourne's Magistrates Court the following day beginning the extradition process back to New South Wales.<ref name=StarAppears>[https://www.northernstar.com.au/news/woman-arrested-over-ballina-nursing-home-murders/2311557/ Former nurse appears in court over nursing home deaths] - Rebecca Lollback, "rstevens<sup>[sic]</sup>" and Marnie Johnston writing for ''The Northern Star'', July 2014</ref> Magistrate Duncan Reynolds ordered her extradited and to receive treatment for depression.<ref name=StarAppears/> Joanne Findley, representing Haines, said the depression was severe and this combined with Haines never being detained before made her client vulnerable.<ref name=SMHallegedly/>
-At a hearing before the New South Wales Supreme Court in April 2015 Haines argued the circumstantial nature of the evidence against her amounted to a weak case which made her ongoing pretrial detention unlawful.<ref name=ABCbail/> Justice Geoffrey Bellew disagreed, ruling the case may be circumstantial but was not weak, and ordered her to remain locked up.<ref name=ABCbail/>
+At a hearing before the New South Wales Supreme Court in April 2015 Haines argued the circumstantial nature of the evidence against her amounted to a weak case which made her ongoing pretrial detention unlawful.<ref name=ABCbail/> Justice Geoffrey Bellew disagreed, ruling the case may be circumstantial but was not weak, and ordered her to remain locked up.<ref name=ABCbail/> In May 2016 she was arraigned on two counts of murder at the New South Wales Supreme Court in Sydney and committed for trial after pleading not guilty.<ref name=SCDLismore/>
+Haines was 46 when arrested.<ref name=StarAppears/> By the time her 2½-week trial in October and November 2016<ref name=SMHjailed/><ref name=SMHknew/> was over she was 49 at the time of her December 2016 sentencing.<ref name=ABCsentence/> She was tried before Justice Peter Garling at the New South Wales Supreme Court in Lismore.<ref name=ABCsentence/><ref name=SCDLismore/>
 ==Trial and evidence==
@@ Line 25: / Line 27: @@
 [[Category:Doctors and Scientists]]
 [[Category:Female Villains]]
+[[Category:Mentally Ill]]