A mental health nurse was caught with a stash of drugs in her handbag whilst working at a care home. Shani McAdam, 32, was working at the home for elderly people in Stockport when suspicions were raised about discrepancies in medication.
Following a search of her handbag, staff found bottles containing 10 tablets of sleeping medication Zopiclone, 11 tablets of anxiety and sleep treatment Lorazepam along with 880 milligrams of broken Lorazepam tablets. McAdam, of Stockport, initially denied any knowledge of the drugs and pleaded not guilty to offences of theft by employee and possession of class C drugs.
At Minshull Street Crown Court, today (July 18) she pleaded guilty to the possession of class C drugs, and the court heard that the Crown Prosecution Service have not proceeded with the offence of theft. McAdam was handed a 12 month conditional discharge.
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Prosecutor Maria Brannan said that McAdam began working at the care home for elderly patients who suffer with mental health issues in December 2017. Four months later on March 26 2018, the police were called due to suspicions raised about medication.
“A search of the defendant's handbag found brown bottles containing a number of tablets. These were seven Zopiclone tablets, three further coloured Zopiclone, 11 Lorazepam tablets, and a quantity of broken tablets of Lorazepam,” Ms Brannan said.
“The defendant was arrested and interviewed and initially denied any knowledge of the drugs. When she was interviewed she was told she had a small amount of drugs in her hair, which indicated she had taken them in previous months.”
McAdam was said to have no previous convictions, but does have two cautions for theft by employee dating back to 2008. This related to her stealing £20 from the till of her employer, the court heard.
Mitigating, Stuart Duke said: “This is a sad case. She is a qualified nurse, she will have to report this matter to the nursing authorities and she will be subject to fitness to practice hearings. It may be that she will be unable to practice.”
The court heard that McAdam suffers from a number of physical and mental health issues, of which she was previously prescribed a ‘large amount’ of painkillers for. Mr Duke said his client became reliant on them and found it difficult to work 16 hour shifts, 16 days a week for ‘not particularly’ good wages. He said she is not currently working.
“My instructions are that she didn’t know they were there, but she wants to plead guilty,” he added.
Sentencing, Judge Maurice Greene said: “It is quite clear you are not remorseful, but I still find you are entitled to credit. You were working as a nurse at the time and others were blamed for various matters.
“It is also clear you do have an illness that requires painkilling treatment. Though I do understand you are not being prescribed any further medication, and probably for good reason.”
McAdam, of Barnsfold Road, was handed a conditional discharge.
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