A TOP nurse has pleaded guilty to stealing almost £1,000 of "popper" style drugs from one of Northern Ireland's busiest A&E departments.
Trevor Fleming (52), yesterday admitted taking seven boxes of Amyl Nitrate inhalants from Antrim Area hospital. The medication is widely used for recreational purposes in the gay community.
Fleming, who held the high-ranking post as head of Mental Health Nursing Services in the Northern Health Trust, was earning in excess of £60,000 annually and had more than 25 years experience in his field.
He also worked once a week as an A&E nurse to keep his clinical skills up.
His arrest last November in the grounds of the hospital came as he finished a night shift at Antrim's casualty unit. It is understood secret cameras were installed after a colleague blew the whistle about missing drugs.
The prosecution of such a senior health professional sent shockwaves through the embattled trust.
Earlier this year, the nursing chief was suspended for 18 months by his professional body, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
Appearing at Antrim Magistrates’ court, Fleming of Ballydonaghy Road in Crumlin, admitted stealing one box of the medication worth £141 on November 8 last year. He also pleaded guilty to the theft of six boxes worth £846 between December 31, 2013 and November 9 last year.
His solicitor Tony Caher told district judge Alan White that he had a cheque for the full amount to compensate the trust, as his client was keen to pay the money back at the "earliest moment".
Releasing Fleming on bail for five weeks, the judge advised him to co-operate with probation in the compiling of a pre-sentence report.
The NMC has now issued an "interim" suspension order on Fleming – a sanction imposed when the body believes the employee poses a risk to the public and to give them time to conduct a full review of the case.
It also means that Mr Fleming is banned from working as a nurse in the NHS or private sector for the next 18 months.
