Drug nicking nurse went on hell ride

A nurse crashed his car outside a school and fell asleep in the back of a police car after stealing unused medication from a care home’s bins, a tribunal heard.

James McGinley helped himself to medication from the return bins at De Baliol Court Nursing Home in Ashington, Northumberland.

McGinley had been taking the drugs for several months before he was caught, the Nursing and Midwifery Council heard.

He was caught after staff noted he was tired and fidgety during a nighshift on March 15 last year.

The deputy manager at the home asked McGinley to wait and take a blood test before leaving.

But McGinley jumped behind in his car and drove off, while the manager contacted police.

A passing motorist later described his driving as the ‘worst she had ever seen’ as his car veering across the road.

He then crashed outside a school and fell asleep in the back of a police car after he was arrested.

McGinley admitted stealing the discarded tablets from the home, and was later convicted of driving whilst unfit through drugs, theft from his employer and dangerous driving.

He was later sentenced to 26 weeks imprisonment suspended for 12 months, and ordered to perform 100 hours of unpaid community work at South East Northumberland Magistrates Court.

McGinley was also disqualified from driving for 18 months.

The NMC found that his actions endangered the public and put residents at risk.

Striking him off NMC panel chairman James Churchill said: ‘Mr McGinley put members of the public at unwarranted risk of harm by driving dangerously whilst unfit to drive through drugs.

‘He was convicted of driving a motor vehicle whilst unfit to drive through drugs, driving dangerously and stealing a quantity of prescribed medication belonging to his employer.

‘McGinley’s has demonstrated no remorse or regret for his actions which were deliberate and reckless.

‘A striking-off order is the only proportionate and appropriate sanction in this case.’

McGinley, who was not present at the hearing in central London, was banned from nursing.
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