Hepatitis C sufferers infected by contaminated blood were left devastated tonight after a prosecution against a leading scientist was dropped.

A stay has been put on fixing a Circuit Court trial date for the former principal biochemist in the Blood Transfusion Service Board on charges relating to the infection of women with Hepatitis C.

The former Principal Biochemist in the Blood Transfusion Service Board, Cecily Cunningham, is to go on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on charges relating to the infection of seven women with Hepatitis C.

THE DPP has contemporary evidence from witnesses and documents indicating that the former Principal Biochemist in the Blood Transfusion Service Board, Cecily Cunningham, was aware of a risk of infected anti-D blood product from 1977 and had inadequately responded to that risk, the High Court was told yesterday.

A FORMER blood bank official who was facing criminal charges relating to the blood transfusion scandal has died.

TWO former blood bank officials charged with offences arising from the hepatitis C blood contamination scandal are due to appear in Dublin District Court today.

THE charging of two former senior officials of the Blood Transfusion Service in relation to the Hepatitis C investigation is a dramatic development.

TWO former senior blood bank officials are to stand trial accused of infecting women with hepatitis C in an unprecedented action which could have implications for other investigations into contaminated blood products.