Courts / Mayo / Report
ICU nurse avoids jail for forged painkiller prescriptions
Summary
An intensive care nurse at Mayo General Hospital has received a fully suspended sentence at Castlebar Circuit Court for forging prescriptions to obtain painkillers. Sinéad Donohoe, aged 42, of Scrigg, Ballyhaunis, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft and four counts of forgery, representing 112 charges overall. Between September 2019 and February 2021, she stole three prescription pads and used forged prescriptions across pharmacies in Ballyhaunis, Ballaghdereen, Claremorris, Castlebar, Castlerea, Knock, and Kiltimagh to obtain Solpadol. Judge Eoin Garavan imposed a headline sentence of two years, suspended in full for 16 months, citing mitigating factors including her low reconviction risk and positive employment history. The judge noted Donohoe's struggle with endometriosis and workplace stress during the Covid-19 pandemic, describing her as dealing with addiction whilst employed in challenging frontline conditions. Her nursing registration has been suspended and she is currently not working. She has no previous convictions and is a married mother of two.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: ICU nurse avoids jail for forged painkiller prescriptions. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision
When:
- September 1, 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
- February 19, 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
- February 2021 Other
- 2025-10-13 Publication
Why: Judge Eoin Garavan set a headline sentence of two years but reduced this to 16 months fully suspended because of mitigating factors including Donohoe's low risk of reconviction and good employment and education history. CNI source report
Places mentioned
- Mayo General Hospital
- Castlebar
- Castlebar hospital
- Castlebar
- Castlebar Circuit Court
Topics
Stage Hearing Or Decision Theft
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