A NURSE who ditched jury duty to go to Amsterdam has been suspended from her job.

Lauren Cochrane called the Sheriff's clerk and said she would be unable to do her civic duty because she was unwell.

However she was actually going on holiday to the Dutch capital.

The nurse was then told to appear in court on charges charged with contempt of court but lied to her solicitor saying she was unwell.

As a result no finding of contempt was made.

However she later sent an anonymous letter pleading guilty to a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

On June 22 she was handed a community payback order with 220 hours of unpaid work.

The nurse was convicted on May 16 2016 at Ayr Sheriff Court, of attempting to pervert the course of justice contrary to common law.

At a hearing of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) the nurse said she had "let the profession down."

However the inquiry concluded that her actions had not caused any patients harm and that she had shown remorse.

She was suspended for six months which will begin after an interim 18-month ban but is entitled to appeal the decision.

The inquiry concluded: "The panel considered that this order is necessary to mark the importance of maintaining public confidence in the profession, and to send to the public and the profession a clear message about the standard of behaviour required of a registered nurse."

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