The freed Saudi nurse, Lucille McLauchlan, was yesterday found guilty of theft and fraud. McLauchlan (33) stole money from an elderly patient while she was working at Kings Cross Hospital, Dundee, in 1996, and forged references in order to get work. She was also convicted of handling a stolen bank card.
The court appearance followed the nurse's release from Saudi Arabia where she spent 17 months in jail. She had been convicted of being an accessory to murder, and sentenced to eight years in prison and 500 lashes. Saudi authorities commuted her sentence in May.
Sheriff Alastair Stewart, at Dundee Sheriff Court, deferred sentence until January 18th, for reports.
Although she was found guilty of using the bank card, McLauchlan was acquitted of stealing it while working at Kings Cross Hospital in 1996.
And while found guilty of using forged references, she was cleared of allegedly using them to obtain a job in Saudi Arabia.
The sheriff described McLauchlan's use of forged references which she gave to the Speedwell Nurses Recruitment Agency, Dundee, as "a clearly thought out and planned pattern of deceit with a view to obtaining employment abroad".