Carer cleared of manslaughter after drug mix-up

A former care worker who wrongly gave morphine to a resident has been found not guiltyof manslaughter.

Gloucester Crown Court was told Jane Barnard, 66, of Longlevens, Gloucester, failed to report she had mistakenly administered the drug to Derek Davies, 75, on 8 September 2021. Mr Davies fell ill and died in hospital two days later.

Barnard, who had been employed at Wheatridge Court Nursing Home in Abbeydale for 32 years, was cleared by a jury of manslaughter on Monday.

She previously admitted a second charge of wilful neglect, which she will be sentenced for on 19 January.

On the morning of 6 September 2021, Barnard erroneously gave Mr Davies medication prescribed for another patient, Jason Dodsworth.

That afternoon, Mr Davies become very unwell and was losing consciousness which caused Barnard to dial 999 and request an ambulance.

Barnard did not tell staff at the care home or the paramedics what she had done nor a doctor who queried Mr Davies' pinpoint pupils and laboured breathing, which were signs of opioid use, the court was told.

The jury was told Mr Davies' cause of death was a consequence of morphine toxicity.

While Barnard was not involved in storing the medication, she had failed to make the correct checks and follow procedure before administering the morphine.

Barnard admitted what had happened to the deputy home manager in a call.

"I can't believe what I've done," she said. "I just panicked."

Upon finding out Mr Davies had died she said: "Oh god, oh god, he's passed away.

"I don't know why I didn't say something sooner. I was scared to death."

Andrew Langdon KC, defending, said before the "terrible mistake", Barnard had worked as a carer for more than three decades.

"Until that moment, she had led a life that would make any of us proud," Mr Langdon added.

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