Drug-taking nurse jailed for woman's manslaughter

Registered nurse Rachel Baker, 44, gave Lucy Cox, 97, lethal doses of medication while abusing controlled drugs she stole from Parkfields Residential Care Home, in Butleigh, Somerset.

Baker, of Boundary Way, Glastonbury, was convicted earlier of the manslaughter of Mrs Cox but acquitted of the manslaughter of resident Frances Hay, 85.

Sentencing her at Bristol Crown Court, Mr Justice John Royce said she had lived a life of "lies, forgery and deceit" and had committed a "gross and appalling" breach of trust.

Prosecutor David Fisher said Baker was regularly taking prescribed drugs, which must have had a "substantial effect" on her character and conduct.

He said: "She, for a variety of bizarre and perverted reasons, may have had a desire to control the terminal destiny of some of her residents."

Care assistant Kathy Slade, a whistleblower who worked with Baker, told the court she overheard her boss ask Mrs Hay if she wanted to "end it all" two days before she died.

In her evidence Baker, a mother of one, blamed the "stress, pain and emotional turmoil" of running the home for her stealing the medication.

Sentencing Baker yesterday, Mr Justice Royce said she had taken Mrs Cox's diamorphine for her own use and instead injected her with tramadol, a weaker substitute. But she gave Mrs Cox too much.

The judge said of Mrs Cox: "She was frail, confused at times. On occasions she was in severe pain. "She was clearly a spirited lady. She loved coming downstairs for a glass of sherry."

He added: "For a nurse entrusted with her care, knowing she was not prescribed these drugs, it was a terrible thing to do. She may have been in the winter of her days but her long life should not have ended this way." The judge noted that a "caring nurse" had declined into "someone of a completely different character".

Baker was sentenced to nine months to run concurrently for perverting the course of justice; 18 months concurrently for possession of class A drugs, and six months concurrently for possession of class B and C drugs.

She was cleared unanimously of the murders of Mrs Hay and Mrs Cox as well as an attempted murder charge involving Mrs Hay.

Claire Forsey, the daughter of Marion Alder, one of the residents at the home, called for a public inquiry into care home standards.