Covert cameras installed at Northampton pharmacy caught employee stealing diazepam
COVERT cameras were installed in a Northampton pharmacy after large amounts of diazepam started going missing, a court heard.
Natasha Creed, aged 38, was caught stealing drugs from the Lloyds pharmacy, in the Weston Favell Centre, where she was employed as a dispenser.
Northampton Crown Court heard Creed, a heroin addict with convictions for possessing class A drugs, was employed by the chemists for a number of years, but started stealing boxes of diazepam in 2010 to sell on to fund her own habit.
William Falshaw, prosecuting, said a lack of stocktaking allowed Creed to steal and cover her tracks by forging prescriptions as there was no correlation between what was in stock and what had been dispensed.
Due to concerns drugs were going missing, secret cameras were installed in April last year and she was caught in the process of stealing three boxes. When her bag was searched, four containers of white powder were also found.
The court heard the exact quantity of drugs stolen, between August 2010 and April, could not be determined. However, Creed admitted stealing 32 boxes of diazepam, which she sold to other addicts at £10 each to fund her heroin and amphetamine habit.
Creed, of Flaxwell Court, Standens Barn, pleaded guilty in May last year to theft of class C drugs, forging prescriptions and possessing amphetamine. She returned to court yesterday and admitted supplying class diazepam and possessing it with intent.
Sentencing her to two years and nine months’ imprisonment, Judge Richard Bray said a deterrent sentence was necessary after hearing how she had been convicted of possessing amphetamine, ecstasy and cannabis by magistrates in Aylesbury in 2002. Judge Bray said: “What concerns me is, how on earth was she employed at the pharmacy with these convictions?”
He added: “You were employed by the pharmacist to dispense these tablets. You took advantage of your position to steal and sell them on in substantial quantities.
“The matter is further aggravated by the fact you have previous convictions for possessing drugs, including class A even while employed at the pharmacy. You were addicted to heroin at a time when you had access to drugs and were entrusted to dispense them.
“This is an alarming case from a public point of view because it indicates no proper records were kept or checks made for the dispensing of classified drugs.”
Russell Eaton, mitigating, said Creed had been in an abusive relationship but left only to “take solace with a heroin addict and become one herself”.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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