A NURSE who stole medication prescribed to a recently deceased resident at a care home she worked at has been spared jail.

Jodie Smith took a prescription of Lorazepam, which is used to treat anxiety and sleeping problems, as she was ‘struggling to cope’ with the pressures of working during the coronavirus pandemic.

She was caught with the class C drug after being spotted driving ‘erratically’ by swerving in the road and mounting the kerb.

The reason for this was drinking a bottle of wine after finishing her shift working at The Old Vicarage Care Home in Burtonwood.

The 35-year-old appeared for sentence at Liverpool, Knowsley and St Helens Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday after admitting charges of theft, possession of a class C drug and drink driving.

But her previous good character and prompt guilty pleas spared her from being sent to prison.

Andrew Page, prosecuting, explained to the court how on August 28 last year at around 8.40am, a witness was driving along Pennington Lane near Collins Green behind a white Suzuki Swift.

The car, which was being driven by Smith, was spotted swerving, mounting the kerb and colliding with bushes and hedges.

She was spotted driving erratically along Pennington Lane (Image: Google Maps)

She was spotted driving erratically along Pennington Lane (Image: Google Maps)

After she collided with two other vehicles, police were called and the road was closed. A roadside breath test was carried out and Smith was found to be above the legal limit.

A search of her car was conducted and officers found her to be in possession of a quantity of Lorazepam tablets, for which she had not been prescribed.

Further enquiries were carried out at her place of work, which confirmed that the tablets belonged to a recently deceased resident.

During a police interview, she admitted drinking a bottle of rose wine after finishing work and before getting behind the wheel of her car, and she also admitted taking the medication as she was ‘going through a bad time’.

Smith told officers that she only wanted them to help her to sleep, and that she was deeply apologetic and ashamed of actions.

Nick Archer, defending, said that the mum-of-three was under ‘immense pressure’ through her work, and the fact that she had to take her children to and from school after her partner, who would usually go on the school run, was prohibited from driving on medical grounds.

“This placed more pressure on Ms Smith, and although this does not excuse her behaviour, it does go some way to explain it,” he said.

“This was also a time when nursing homes were under severe pressure due to coronavirus. She was struggling to cope, and the fact that she felt it necessary to have a drink of wine that early before going home emphasises the pressure this lady was under.

Smith took the tablets thriugh her job as a nurse at The Old Vicarage Care Home in Burtonwood (Image: Google Maps)

Smith took the tablets thriugh her job as a nurse at The Old Vicarage Care Home in Burtonwood (Image: Google Maps)

“She made full admission during police interview and pleaded guilty straight away.”

Mr Archer also explained that the medication was kept in an unlocked room waiting to be destroyed, and that the tablets had minimal value ‘in real terms’.

Before sentencing, district judge James Hatton said: “The events of August 28 did not just happen. Things built up, causing you to make bad decision after bad decision.

“You had a degree of trust where you worked, and you took medication which was not prescribed to you.

“You drove your car after drinking wine, and you were fortunate that you did not cause injury to yourself and other road users.”

Smith, of Derby Drive in Rainford, St Helens, was sentenced to a 12-month community order, which includes 150 hours unpaid work and rehabilitation activity requirement days.

She must also pay £180 in court costs and was disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Judge Hatton also approved an order for the forfeiture and destruction of drugs.