Can a person be rehired after being sacked? (UK)

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There's a girl that used to work with me and she got sacked last summer for doing drugs. Also she wasn't a reliable worker, had issues and caused grief for everyone.
But now that we're going to be losing a Polish worker (thanks to Brexit), I'm so scared that they're going to rehire this troubled girl in her place. Her mother works for the same company but different department, and there's a couple of guys here that are still friends with her and I hope they don't try to appeal to have her back.
She's pregnant now and is due very soon, but she might need a part-time job in the near future and this job might be the only convenient job.

For some weird reason she doesn't like me, even though I've always been nice to her. I take it personally, because she is still in touch with others that work here, but I can tell she doesn't want to speak to me whenever I pass her in the street. I just don't want to have anything to do with her any more to be honest, although I'm always friendly when I bump into her.

Anyway, the question is, would the company be stupid enough to rehire her, after being sacked on the spot for coming into work under the influence of drugs? It would really put a damper on our humble little atmosphere among us. Well, I'll notice it the most because she doesn't like me. She's capable of emotional bullying.

That is a question for your company's Personnel Department.

Here in the States, it is unlikely that a sacked worker would be re-hired unless the company was desperate to find someone to fill the same position. And by "desperate", I mean no one else wants the job, and the company faces total failure if the position is not filled.

In all my years, I have never once re-hired a person that I have had to dismiss for cause (i.e., drugs, theft, violence, et cetera). For every position, there are dozens (if not hundreds) of qualified people to fill it.

She was an attention-seeking trouble-maker, also the company is very strict with usage of drugs and alcohol, and when they found drugs in her system during a random drug test, she was dismissed immediately. I'm hoping that would mean she won't be allowed back under any circumstances. Also this job is a very laid-back job in a laid-back environment, but the only thing that may deter people is the evening hours. Usually young people with young families tend to go for evening hours, so I hope she doesn't try to wrangle her way back into the company, especially knowing that she's still respected by most people here (for being a jumped-up, arrogant, selfish, troubled Essex chav with no self-respect and other reasons I don't understand).
I really don't like her any more. It was good riddance when she left.

It's extremely unlikely in the UK too. When they advertise a job they get hundreds of applicants to choose from. Why would they get someone they fired back when they can get someone new?

Yes. They can be rehired. It all depends on the employer. There is no law against it. As long as the employee is legally employed.
The employer has to make a decision. They need to consider if the individual would repeat the reason why they were sacked in the first place.
Of course, it is usually unlikely for an employer to consider someone who has been sacked previously, but if there are staff shortages, and the person has the skills and can be trusted not to repeat their previous mistakes then yes. They can be re-employed.

Great. I hope they don't re-employ the b***h.

I am not saying your employer will re-employ the person. I am just saying it is totally up to the employer. In reality it is unlikely unless one has a new manger who has different views on the reason why the person was sacked, or if the company has changed its outlook.
It is normally unlikely because there was a reason why the person was sacked and the employer would need to consider if the person will re-offend. But at the end of the day, it is up to the employer. Most employers won't want to take the risk.

It's just one of those things that my mind has conjured up a "what if..?" and it became real as if someone actually told me that there's a chance she could come back, even though nobody has and there's no hint that she will.
I do this sometimes; I get a thought in my head and then I start to believe my own thoughts and dwell on it. It's like my own anxiety bullies me.

Legally, yes she's rehireable. Given the company policies and the reason she was sacked previously, though, it seems very unlikely that she would be, unless the people who want her back have a substantial amount of workplace political power (for example, the company is family-owned and they are all related to the owners).