A UNIVERSITY lecturer who splurged thousands of pounds on a company credit card has been suspended.

Andrea Hiller admitting spending almost £7,500 on three websites for personal items while employed as a senior lecturer in nursing at Glasgow Caledonian University.

An inquiry by nursing regulators was told she spent £1,054.43 in one day, then a further £1,290 over a period of six days and £5000 in a week.

She then attempted to used the card to make payments totalling £180 but the transactions were declined, because, ‘there was insufficient funds.’

The lecturer confessed to using the card to uni bosses and was given a written warning. She returned to work on a phased basis but later resigned from her job.

The incidents happened between April 6, 2015 and July 22 and she left the post she had held for six years in November 2016.

She appeared before the Nursing and Midwifery Council in December to face two charges of misconduct as a registered nurse and has now been banned from practising for a year.

The inquiry was told she had paid back the money and the offences had not been reported to the police.

The NMC inquiry concluded: “You have admitted to using a credit card which was property of the University for personal use up to the value of £7,344.43 without authorisation and the panel found that

your actions were dishonest in that you intended to have the University pay for your personal usage.

“The panel found that there were repeated acts of dishonesty over a period of approximately four months.

“As an experienced nurse and senior Lecturer, you were held in high regard and abused the trust placed in you by your employer.

“Nurses occupy a position of privilege and trust in society and are expected at all times to be professional.

Ms Hiller was said to have expressed “genuine remorse” and acknowledged that her actions were unacceptable.

Some of the hearing, was heard in private and related to health problems which were said to be, “inextricably linked” to the incidents.

She has not practised as a clinical nurse since 2001 and is believed to be now working as a lecturer at a Glasgow college.

A spokesperson for Glasgow Caledonian University said: "Andrea Hiller was employed at Glasgow Caledonian University for 15 years as a senior lecturer in nursing before resigning her position.”