A hospital cleaner who stole medical and cleaning supplies from Saint Bernard’s Hospital during the pandemic was sentenced to 50 hours of unpaid work yesterday.

Ana Gingell, 55, of Rosia Dale, pleaded guilty to five counts of theft and was sentenced to the Community Order at the Supreme Court. 

She was arrested after staff at the Gibraltar Health Authority noticed that a number of disposable gloves and surgical facemasks had gone missing. 

CCTV footage was viewed by hospital bosses who spotted Gingell stealing various supplies.

A report was made to the Royal Gibraltar Police and on 26 March 2020, Gingell was arrested on suspicion of theft.

Further items of a similar nature were then found within her personal locker at the hospital and her home during a search warrant.

Gingell was sentenced to serve 50 hours of unpaid work for the first count of theft. No separate penalty was given for the other four.