Blackpool healthcare workers guilty of ill-treatment by unlawfully sedating patients
A nurse and a healthcare worker have been found guilty of unlawfully drugging patients – amid allegations they did so for their own amusement and an easy life.
Catherine Hudson, 54, and Charlotte Wilmot, 48, ill-treated those in their care on a stroke unit at Blackpool Victoria Hospital in Lancashire between February 2017 and November 2018, Preston Crown Court heard.
Hudson was found guilty of ill-treating three patients. Both women were found guilty of conspiracy to ill treat a patient by administering sedatives.
They faced a total of nine counts concerning five patients, with Hudson found not guilty of three counts.
Wilmot was also found guilty of encouraging Hudson to sedate a patient while Hudson was found guilty of theft of the drug Mebeverine, used to treat irritable bowel syndrome.
A police investigation was launched after a student nurse on a work placement told authorities she saw Hudson give unprescribed Zopiclone, a sleeping pill said to be potentially life threatening if given inappropriately, to a patient in November 2018.
Charlotte Wilmot (left) and Catherine Hudson
Prosecutors said messages exchanged between Hudson, an experienced Band 5 registered nurse, and Wilmot, a Band 4 assistant practitioner, revealed a “culture of abuse”.
Both women will be sentenced at a later date. Hudson was remanded into custody while Wilmot is set to be granted bail.
The verdicts were reached after nearly 14 hours of deliberation.
Prosecutor Peter Wright told the jury the healthcare workers treated patients with “contempt” rather than “care and compassion”.
“They considered them, or some of them, to be an imposition, an irritation,” he said.
“Patients were ill-treated. They were sedated either for the amusement of these defendants or simply to keep them quiet and to make their life easier, and their work less onerous or arduous.
“The risks to the patients were obvious, but we say they didn’t care.
“They thought it was amusing. It was something which they would brag about or share as a joke on social media and with other members of staff who shared their particular brand of humour.”
He said WhatsApp messages sent between the pair were uncovered after a probe was launched into alleged misconduct at the hospital.
In one exchange about an elderly male patient, Hudson wrote: “I’m going to kill bed 5 xxx.”
WhatsApp messages uncovered during a probe
Wilmot replied: “Pmsl (p***ing myself laughing) well tonight sedate him to high heaven lol xxx.”
Hudson said: “Already in my head to give him double !!”
The next evening Hudson messaged Wilmot: “If bed 5 starts he will b getting sedated to hell pmsfl. I’ll get u the abx (anti-biotic) xxx”.
Jurors were told Hudson also bragged about sedating another female patient, who was profoundly brain damaged, to a healthcare assistant when she wrote: “I sedated on(e) of them to within an inch of her life lol. Bet she’s flat for a week haha xxx.”
On the following day she asked Wilmot about the same patient, writing: “What’s bed 29 been doing today pmsfl. Not a f***ing lot I bet!! Seeing as I sedated her on sat and sun lol lol xxx.”
Wilmot replied: “Yeahhhh I knew it, everything you gave her has started working today!!!! made for a nice day though, it ain’t been bad lol. Xxx.”
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Hudson responded: “She was driving me mad , so it was pxd (prescribed) and had to b done lol . She needed the rest xxx.”
Mother-of-three Hudson denied inappropriately giving any drugs and said the text conversations were “just banter” to relieve the stresses of the job.
She told jurors the unit was understaffed to a “completely dangerous level” for years and that medication was “scattered around” and freely available.
Hudson said the “whole ward was corrupt” and that “95% of the staff” would take medication from the unit. Some would use them on duty and “regrettably” she eventually stole drugs, she said.
Wilmot, who was dismissed by her employers in 2020, said she had not been qualified to administer medications, had never given sleeping tablets to patients for an “easy life” or witnessed anyone else doing so.
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Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations she lived in properties linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh.
It comes after the current Bangladeshi leader, Muhammad Yunus, said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated.
He told the Sunday Times the properties should be handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.
Tory leader Ms Badenoch said: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.
“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.
“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”
Ms Siddiq insists she has “done nothing wrong”.
Her aunt was ousted from office in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership and fled to India.
Ms Siddiq is also named with her aunt in Bangladesh court documents about meetings with the Russian government.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir to sack the minister
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As economic secretary to the Treasury, Ms Siddiq is responsible for policy on both the City and tackling corruption.
She referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics watchdog on Monday following the reports about the properties.
On the same day, the prime minister said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.
“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”
Police in Aberdeen have widened the search area for two sisters who disappeared four days ago in the city.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV on Market Street after leaving their home on Tuesday at around 2.12am.
The sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – crossed the Victoria Bridge to the Torry area and turned right on to a footpath next to the River Dee.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti were last seen on CCTV in Market Street. Pic: Police Scotland/PA
They headed in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club but officers said there is no evidence to suggest the missing women left the immediate area.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and a marine unit have been trying to trace the pair.
The sisters crossed Victoria Bridge before walking along a footpath next to the River Dee
The pair were heading in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club on the south side of the River Dee
Further searches are being carried out towards the Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour and Duthie Park.
Police Scotland said it is liaising with authorities in Hungary to support the relatives of the two sisters.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Eliza and Henrietta’s family are understandably extremely worried about them and we are working tirelessly to find them.
“We are seriously concerned about them and have significant resources dedicated to the inquiry.”
The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Officers have requested businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review their CCTV footage for the early morning of Tuesday 7 January.
Police added they are keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage from that time.
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