Portadown nurse, who stole drugs from a ward at Craigavon Hospital, is given suspended jail term

Catherine Beattie, aged 47, from Broomhill, Portadown, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court on Wednesday charged with theft of codeine from her employer.

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Police were tasked to Craigavon Hospital in February last year after a Ward Sister reported the theft of medication from 4 North. She said there were three instances of theft that week from February 4 to 10.

She told police that on February 6, 10 boxes of 30mg of co-codamol were missing. This was during a stock check. The theft is believed to have occurred on Monday, February 5.

On Thursday, February 8, two boxes were missing with the theft thought to have occurred on February 7. More boxes were noted missing on February 9 with the theft believed to have taken place that day.

Following inquiries, the only member of staff consistently on duty across all those days was the defendant.

During police searches, nothing was found on her person but tablets were found on the defendant’s jacket pocket. Beattie admitted she took the tablets and put them in a fleece in her locker.

She said her intention “was to take them home”. She “needed to steal them”. Beattie was arrested and two further strips of codeine were found in her home.

Beattie’s barrister Mr David McKeown said “this is a serious case and a somewhat sad case” in terms of the defendant’s personal circumstances and long term health issues.

"She was suffering at the time and felt she wasn’t being properly medicated,” said Mr McKeown, adding that instead of “going through proper channels she took an opportunity”.

“She took the medication to ease the pain. She realises she shouldn’t have done that,” said the barrister, who added that Beattie wasn’t suspended by her professional body but was placed on “heavily restricted” practising duties.

"“That may be due to the fact that she was awaiting surgery. She’s had that surgery in September.” The barrister revealed it was the Regulator who put her on restrictions to keep her away from medications.

"She instructs she is still in considerable pain and unable to work because of this but she has done a lot of training in the interim. The nature of that training is specifically related to the circumstances surrounding this offending.

"She has cooperated fully with whatever the Regulator has required of her. She is still not in a position to return to work and she will still have to face the Regulators following the outcome of this court.

"This is a woman who very much put her livelihood at risk by her own foolish actions,” said Mr McKeown, adding that she is “deeply remorseful”.

District Judge Michael Ranaghan said: “A nurse stealing medication from a hospital ward is a grievous breach of trust. Given the nature of the medication you stole I think it is unlikely there could have been direct harm caused to patients.

"The NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) will no doubt take their own action in relation to your repeated theft behaviour because your record is relevant."

"Your health issues are no excuse for that grievous breach of trust,” he said, sentencing Beattie to five months in prison suspended for 12 months.