A nursing assistant who stole money from a seriously injured 85-year-old woman at the accident and emergency department of Ninewells Hospital has been spared a prison sentence.
Lucy Cruickshank, 28, was caught red-handed stealing £150 from the pensioner, who had been airlifted to hospital after being involved in a crash on the A9 on Hogmanay.
A search was carried out of the staff locker room and the money was found within a blue glove inside a work tunic.
A sheriff commended the courage of two nurses who reported Cruickshank to the police.
The first offender offered a limited explanation for her theft, claiming her actions were “impulsive”.
Her own solicitor conceded her heartless crime was a “monumental breach of trust”.
Nurses spotted theft
Dundee Sheriff Court heard how the elderly woman had been taken to the resuscitation area – where some of the most seriously ill patients are treated – at around 2pm on December 31 last year.
Around 45 minutes later, two nurses working at a computer in the area watched Cruickshank look through the woman’s property.
Prosecutor Michael Robertson said: “The accused had a patient belonging form within her hand.
“One of the nurses believed the accused was carrying out an inventory of the complainer’s belongings.
“The nurse continued to observe the accused, who opened the complainer’s purse, took items out and placed them in her right back pocket.”
Mr Robertson said one nurse intervened and asked Cruickshank if she “needed to corroborate the patient’s belongings”, to which she agreed.
The nurse counted £50 in the woman’s purse but she and her colleague remained uneasy and contacted management before the police were informed.
Cash hidden in glove
Officers traced Cruickshank at the hospital at around 6.30pm and the cash was quickly discovered.
Mr Robertson said: “Officers and a member of staff carried out a search of the female locker room at around 8pm.
“A hospital tunic belonging to the accused was seized. Within that, they recovered a blue glove.
“Within that glove was £150. When presented with this, the accused broke down.”
Cruickshank, of Macaulay Street in Dundee, previously pled guilty to the theft.
She appeared in the dock for sentencing following the preparation of a social work report.
‘Baffling case’
Solicitor Kevin Hampton said he could offer little in mitigation but said his client had struggled with mental health issues for several years.
Cruickshank quit her job at NHS Tayside after pleading guilty at the last court hearing.
Mr Hampton told the court: “She doesn’t need me to tell her that this is a monumental breach of trust that she has committed.
“There’s really no explanation for it. She worked in that role for six years and was in the A&E department for two years.
“On that day in question she had been dealing with a fairly traumatic road traffic collision and had been assisting people involved in that. It was not the one involving the complainer.
“She describes the offence as an impulsive act. There’s no financial difficulty.
“Her intention was to try and replace the money but her colleagues became suspicious.
“It’s a baffling case.”
Mr Hampton said Cruickshank was remorseful and understood prison was an option due to the gravity of the offence.
Sheriff pondered prison
Visibly angry, Sheriff John Rafferty told Cruickshank: “I think first of all it’s necessary that I commend both nurses for their diligence, for the manner they dealt with this matter and for their courage in reporting a colleague for a very serious crime.
“Secondly, the rightfully justified public revulsion that a care worker would take advantage of an 85-year-old lady who required to be airlifted to hospital following trauma after a road traffic accident has to be recognised and acknowledged.
“There is no mitigation here other than the fact that you pled guilty.
“I have to decide if custody is necessary to mark the public revulsion, to punish you and to deter others from committing crimes of this nature.
“I have come to the conclusion that given your career in nursing and that you have been of good behaviour, the matter can be dealt with by means of a community-based disposal.”
Cruickshank, who sat emotionless in the dock throughout, was placed on a restriction of liberty order (7pm to 5am) for 10 months.
She was also ordered to pay the woman £150 in compensation.
The sentences were imposed as a direct alternative to custody.
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