Trudy Jones, 53, (pictured) has been jailed for 14 months after stealing bank cards from two elderly patients
A nurse who stole bank cards from the bedsides of elderly patients to go on a £3,000 spending spree was today jailed for 14 months.
Trudy Jones, 53, pocketed the cards of the two women in their 90s – and bought £3,100 worth of clothes, mobile phones and other treats.
She was today locked up for the six-week spending spree with the card of 94-year-old Evelyn Jewell, which she stole from her handbag in her bedroom.
Cardiff Crown Court heard Jones also took the bank card of 91-year-old Esmee Miller from her bedside table on the same day she died – but had not used it.
Both thefts took place at Newport’s Royal Gwent Hospital where Jones worked as a nursing assistant.
Jason Howells, prosecuting, said an investigation was launched when it was found that Mrs Jewell’s bank card had been used to buy items online.
He said: ‘The transactions were shown in an account belonging to Jones showing she had paid off debts and bought mobile phones, clothing and other items.
‘She said in police interviews that she was depressed and enjoyed shopping online while her.’
Mrs Miller’s niece Jayne Whitehouse said the family viewed the theft of her bank card with a ‘mixture of dismay and disbelief’.
Both thefts took place at Newport’s Royal Gwent Hospital (pictured) where Jones worked as a nursing assistant
Jones, from Newport, Gwent, who wept throughout the hearing, admitted one offence of fraud and two of theft.
Judge Tom Crowther QC told her: ‘The shopping made you feel better because of your depression but you should have been wracked with guilt at what you did.
‘This was not retail therapy, this was theft. What you did erodes public confidence in health services.’