Mum turned from 'respected' health career to life of drugs and crime

A FORMER NHS auxiliary nurse became a career criminal after she developed a severe drug habit following the birth of her third child.

-  HELENA VESTY & JON HARRIS

Mother-of-three Gemma Fletcher, 35, had been a respected healthcare assistant working in the A&E unit at the Royal Bolton Hospital, but in 2019 she suffered a back injury whilst in labour.

She became addicted to prescribed painkillers and then began using heroin. Over the following five years she clocked up 32 offences of burglary, theft and stealing from cars - all to feed her habit.

In one night-time raid, in which she was armed with a brick, Fletcher was caught by a householder rummaging through coats in their hall.