Revealed: This is the disgraced nurse who robbed OAP's home as she lay in hospital

Julie Anne Lemon is facing a jail sentence when she returns to Belfast Crown Court on Wednesday for burgling the home of the 72-year-old women while she lay in Belfast City Hospital.

And while the pensioner was recovering from illness, Lemon roped in her own mother Claire Lemon (65) and sister Michelle Seenan (41) to help her rifle through the pensioner's drawers looking for easy money.

All three women pleaded guilty to a number of offences of theft and burglary committed between May and June 2019 and will all be sentenced in three days.

But we can reveal sticky-fingered mum-of-three Julie Lemon had tried to keep her disgusting behaviour a secret after it emerged she hadn't told the father of her two youngest kids about her shameful acts - despite her likely being put behind bars.

The 45-year-old has an eight-year-old son, a 12-year-old daughter and an adult daughter.

But when the judge asked what steps had been taken regarding childcare for her kids with her facing a prison sentence, he was surprised to discover the nurse auxiliary hadn't made any.

The judge was told by a defence barrister: "I regret to say that Ms Lemon has not made the youngest two children's father aware... of the current situation."

Judge Fowler said he was concerned about this revelation.

Before he adjourned sentencing, the Belfast Recorder was told that in April 2019, a widow from Lisburn was admitted to Belfast City Hospital.

The care workers who tended to the pensioner locked her home and placed her handbag containing her purse and keys in the ambulance with her.

Due to a deterioration in her health, she remained in hospital, and at the end of May, it emerged that the patient's house keys and purse were missing.

The thieves were seen at the elderly women's property on a number of occasions until concerned neighbours alerted the family and they called the police.

After the third attempt to enter the property, the police were called and Julie Anne Lemon and her mother Claire Lemon were searched and the older woman was found to be in possession of the pensioner's bank cards.

A police investigation was launched and it emerged that Julie worked as a nursing auxiliary at Belfast City Hospital.

Bank records linked to the stolen card were also checked, and as a result CCTV footage of two women withdrawing cash from a bank machine on the Shankill Road was obtained by police.

Despite her initial denials, Julie admitted stealing the patient's property from the ward.

The mother of three, from Altnagarron Mews in Belfast, also admitted going to the woman's house with her mother on two occasions in a bid to obtain bank documents and using the stolen bank card twice.

Her mother Claire, a grandmother of ten from Malvern Way in the city, admitted going to the pensioner's house three times and using the bank card on seven occasions in June. Michelle Seenan, from Tyndale Gardens, was also arrested and admitted going to Lisburn with her mother once, and using the bank card three times - once to withdraw £500 which was split three ways.

While both Lemons have relevant criminal records, Seenan appeared in court with no previous convictions.

Crown barrister David Russell branded the offences as serious, called for custodial sentences and highlighted the breach of trust regarding Julie Ann Lemon in her role at the hospital.

They'll find out their fate on Wednesday.

steven.moore@sundayworld.com