Nurse, 30, funded her secret cocaine habit by selling prescription-only medication she looted from NHS hospital wards

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A nurse battling a secret cocaine habit set up a drugs racket of her own using prescription-only medication she looted from NHS hospital wards.

Amie Heller, 30, was jailed for three years and eight months after stealing a range of painkiller tablets so she could deal to friends who had been complaining of various problems.

The mother-of-one - who complained of feeling 'undervalued' due to her 'extreme shifts, on busy short staffed wards' - plundered the drugs over a period of a month while working at the Royal Blackburn Hospital in Lancashire.

She was caught after NHS bosses got an anonymous tip off that she was taking drugs from the hospital and carried out stock checks whilst Heller continued working unaware the net was closing in on her.

Amie Heller, 30, pictured, was jailed after admitting stealing prescription medication from hospitals and supplying it to her friends

Heller, left and right, had a secret cocaine habit which she funded by selling on the stolen drugs

The mother-of-one, pictured, was caught after bosses at Royal Blackburn Hospital were tipped off about her thefts and found discrepancies in medication stocks

Investigators found differences between what had been requested from the pharmacy and what had been administered on the wards. 

Police were called and arrested Heller at the hospital itself as she was about to start a shift.

She confessed to having an illicit haul of the sleeping tablet zopiclone which had been stolen from the hospital and also a cache of cocaine in her jewellery box.

Police raided her home in Ribchester, near Preston, Lancashire, and found nine snap bags of cocaine, with a street value of £360. 

One box of prescription medication was also seized - with the labels removed so they could not be linked to the hospital.

Officers also examined Heller's iPhone which had texts about the supply of cocaine and prescription medicines - including messages from friends with various ailments asking the nurse if she could get medication for them.

It emerged one of Heller's main contacts on the local drugs scene was Jake Lloyd-Haydock - referred to on her phone as 'Jakey work' - who would supply her with cocaine so she could deal it to her friends. 

Police found nine bags of cocaine, worth around £360 on the street, after raiding Heller's house. She is pictured left and right, in a mugshot

Heller, pictured, now faces being struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council 

In return she would get the drug at reduced rate as part of 'payment in kind.'

Police searched Lloyd-Haydock's home and found three ecstasy tablets and £1,000 in cash.

At Preston Crown Court, Heller was jailed for three years and eight months after she pleaded guilty to theft by employee between July 1 - July 31, 2015, and four charges of supplying Class B and Class drugs from the hospital namely zopiclone, tramadol, dihydrocodeine and codeine.

She also admitted supplying cocaine between December 2014 and July 31 2015 and was ordered to pay £120 surcharges. 

She now faces being struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Lloyd-Haydock, 26, admitted supplying cocaine and was jailed for two and a half years. 

Both face a Proceeds of Crime hearing in May during which it is expected they will have to pay back the profits from their crimes.

Passing sentence Judge Robert Altham told Heller: 'You need to understand medical professionals stealing drugs from hospitals cannot be tolerated.

'It strikes at the very heart of the business of health care - something you were there to promote.

'You were responsible for diverting drugs that needed to be dished out in a regulated way for people's health and safety and you were putting them into an unregulated distribution.

'You have abused a position of trust to steal drugs from people who were genuinely ill. 

'You need to understand that dealing in drugs is a catastrophic trade for those who are customers. It causes crime, child neglect and misery throughout society.'

Heller, left and right, claimed in court to have not made any money from the thefts and had only 'passed them on to friends'

The court heard Heller, pictured, would deal cocaine for friend Jake Lloyd-Haydock, who she would receive cheaper cocaine from as a 'payment in kind'

Preston Crown Court heard Heller, pictured, has now retrained as a beauty therapist

The arrests in July 2015 took place two years after Heller became a nurse having earlier attained a 2:1 nursing degree at the University of Central Lancashire.

During her course she worked as a care assistant and also in a sandwich bar to help fund her studies.

In court, Heller, who has since re-trained as a beauty therapist, claimed she had never made any money from the thefts of the hospital medication and insisted she had only passed them on to friends.

She said she merely a 'go-between' for Lloyd-Haydock and his stash of cocaine.

Her lawyer Philip Barnes said: 'She had been dealing with the breakdown of her parent's relationship and her own relationship came to an end too. 

'She also had a medical worry of her own and was required to give evidence at a coroner's inquiry for the first time over the death of a patient which placed her under a great deal of strain.

'Because of all this she was medicated for depression and stress and at around about the same time she started to use cocaine socially. 

'It became apparent to her that people who use one type of drug are often open to taking others and she allowed herself to be used in the supply of those drugs too.'

Lloyd-Haydock claimed he had been selling cocaine to fund his own habit. 

His lawyer Kimberley Obrusik said: 'This is something that all his friends and family are shocked by. He is very ashamed of himself and has shown genuine remorse.'

On her LinkedIn page Heller said she was studying Beauty Therapy at Blackburn College. 

Heller worked as a nurse at Royal Blackburn Hospital, pictured, which she looted for painkillers

Police arrested Heller at the hospital, pictured, as she was about to start a shift

On her profile she said: 'I have been working as a nurse since I finished my degree in September 2013. I have however decided that I want to work within the beauty industry. 

'I am looking at completing an aesthetics course but to provide these treatments on a flexible self employed basis.

'The environment within the beauty industry is exciting, ever changing and glamorous. 

'I like to empower women and make people feel good about themselves. Beauty roles don't feel like a chore to me. 

'I believe you should enjoy the work you do. It's a big part of your life.

'Work shouldn't be dreaded as is how I felt when I was working extreme shifts, on busy short staffed wards where I felt undervalued. I'm excited at starting a new career. 

'It's never too late to learn new things and take new directions in life. Which is something I'm embracing with deep enthusiasm and with a great passion for the industry.'