A 38-YEAR-OLD woman tried to walk out of Royal Blackburn Hospital with an oxygen cylinder which she had stolen from a ward.

Blackburn magistrates heard Leighanne Meleleu planned to take the cylinder home for her dad who suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Meleleu, of Moorland Road, Burnley, pleaded guilty to theft of the oxygen cylinder and making off without paying.

She was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £60 compensation and £20 victim surcharge.

Parveen Akhtar, prosecuting, said Meleleu had gone onto a hospital ward shortly after midnight and removed the oxygen cylinder.

“She actually asked a security officer to open a side door which was close to the car park,” said Miss Akhtar. “She was asked who had given her permission and she just said she was taking it for her father before leaving without the cylinder.”

Imran Hussain, defending, said Meleleu cared for her father and frequently he was rushed to A&E.

“He spends the night in hospital where he is given oxygen and is released the following morning,” said Mr Hussain. “On this occasion her father was being stubborn and refused to go to hospital. She hatched the scheme to appropriate this heavy cylinder and actually had it in her possession. Her intention was to take it her home for her father to use and then return it the following morning.”

Mr Hussain said his client was a former member of the army bomb disposal squad who had done tours in Ireland, Iraq, Afghanistan and Bosnia.

“It is a humiliation for someone with her background to be appearing in court,” said Mr Hussain. “She has suffered from post traumatic stress disorder and is trying to get her life back in order.”