A MUM-OF-TWO stole morphine and hid medicines underneath a child’s car seat whilst she was training as a student nurse at Colchester Hospital… before being caught after staff ordered a search of employees’ bags.
Kaitlyn Taylor, of Bower Grove, West Mersea, appeared at Colchester Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday where she admitted stealing the bottle of morphine from a high dependency unit at the hospital in April 2022.
The court heard how Taylor, 34, had been a full-time student at Essex University and was weeks away from completing her degree at the time of the offence.
Suspicions first arose about the missing morphine when a hospital patient was suffering from chest pains and required Oramorph – a brand of morphine – as part of their treatment.
When it was discovered the bottle had gone missing, staff launched a search of employees' possessions, and the bottle of morphine was found in Taylor’s bag.
Mr Thakker, defending, said Taylor was raising two young children and had to contend with a full-time degree whilst caring for her husband who was recovering from a Covid-induced stroke.
He said: “Taylor was a full-time carer and mum. She was a full-time student and was on placement at the hospital as a student nurse.
“It’s clear as a student nurse she should have been supervised at all times.”
He added the value of the bottle of morphine was under £500, though it was not explained why Taylor stole the item.
But Miss Bradbury contested some of the defence’s assertions, saying: “[She] was supposed to be working on reception but had been found in the drug storage room – she was in areas she did not have authorisation to be in.
“She should have been supervised in her role, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that she had a degree of responsibility being a nurse.”
The court heard there was not enough evidence to press charges against Taylor for the medicines found in her car, though the court's legal advisor questioned why they were hidden if they were for her own medical needs.
Magistrates have asked for a pre-sentence report to be prepared, and Taylor will return to the court on May 9.
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