Nurse who allegedly sedated patients for 'amusement' denies being 'a complete fraud'
A nurse who allegedly sedated patients for "amusement" has denied she is a "complete fraud" who had given a "performance" to jurors.
Catherine Hudson, 54, is said to have drugged patients on Blackpool Victoria Hospital's stroke unit with unprescribed sleeping pills.
The mother-of-three is also said to have targeted her alleged victims for an "easy life" on work shifts and if she disliked patients or their families.
WhatsApp messages between Hudson and colleagues are said to have revealed a "culture of abuse" on the unit, Preston Crown Court has heard.
But Hudson denies inappropriately giving any drugs and says the text conversations were "just banter" to relieve the stresses of the job.
She has told jurors that for years the unit was understaffed to a "completely dangerous level" and that medication was "scattered around" and freely available.
Hudson added the "whole ward was corrupt" and that "95% of the staff" would take medication from the unit.
Some would use them on duty and "regrettably" she eventually stole drugs, she said.
On Wednesday, she told Peter Wright KC, cross-examining, that she tried to report her concerns about wholesale stealing a "couple of times" but never formally to the health trust.
Hudson said a senior colleague told her nothing could be done about it because "we would all be in trouble".
She told the court: "There was just no point in reporting it to senior management.
Mr Wright said: "You remained utterly silent about that until your arrest?"
"Yes," said Hudson.
Mr Wright said "And you consider yourself to be a nurse of integrity?"
"Yes," she repeated.
Mr Wright said: "You are a complete fraud, aren't you?"
The defendant replied: " No."
Mr Wright said: "The last day-and-a-half has been a performance hasn't it?"
"No," said Hudson.
Mr Wright said: "The reality is you have been found out?"
"No," said Hudson.
Mr Wright said: "The truth here is you are the one at the centre of all this?"
She repeated: "No."
Mr Wright went on: "And your little cohort of similar minded individuals who have shared the joke?"
Hudson said: "No. The text messages were never intended to be anything but a joke."
Mr Wright said: "Is the truth here, Miss Hudson, on and each every occasion since your day of arrest you have tried to minimise your guilt?"
"No," said the defendant.
Mr Wright said: "You have devised a response to the allegations to deflect any misconduct on to others and from yourself?"
Hudson said: "No."
The defendant of Coriander Close, Blackpool, has admitted the theft of medicine and conspiracy to steal medicine from the hospital.
She denies ill-treating four patients and stealing another medicine, Mebeverine, intended for an end-of-life care patient.
Fellow nurse Charlotte Wilmot, 48, of Bowland Crescent, Blackpool, denies encouraging Hudson to sedate one of those patients.
Both defendants have also pleaded not guilty to conspiring to ill-treat another patient.
The alleged ill-treatment offences are said to have taken place between February 2017 and November 2018.
A whistleblowing student nurse brought events she allegedly witnessed while on work placement at the unit to the attention of the authorities in November 2018, the court has heard.
The trial continues.