Student sentenced for selling still born snaps on eBay.

A student midwife at the University of Manchester has been found guilty of 13 charges of fraud and theft after stealing cameras from the midwifery ward on her course placement and attempting to sell them on eBay.

Lucy Prescott, 19, was on course placement at Tameside Hospital when she stole two of the hospital unit’s cameras, one of which contained photos of stillborn babies. The photos had been taken as a personal last memory for distraught parents.

During seven months on placement Prescott also stole credit cards and belongings from the lockers of her own colleagues and then used the cards to buy clothes and books at the value of £1,400.

The student pleaded guilty to seven charges of theft and six charges of fraud by false representation; five other offences were also taken into account. The student was given a two-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months and ordered to undertake 200 hours of unpaid community service.

Prescott first stole from the hospital in December and continued unnoticed until June. She then attempted to sell a camera with the photographs of stillborn babies still on its memory on eBay, but was unsuccessful.

The courts were told that “the offences were a serious breach of trust over a period of time”.

Ann Haggerty, a matron on the hospitals maternity ward, said that no patients had been affected by Prescott’s actions. “It is important to stress that, as with all first year midwifery students, this individual was supervised at all times on the days she was here and the found no evidence that patients were targeted or affected,”

“Our overriding aim is to protect patients and staff, which is why we contacted the police and co-operated fully with their investigation. As soon as we were made aware the individual had been arrested, we liaised with the University of Manchester to ensure the placement was suspended until further notice. We understand she later resigned from the course.”