Statutory Committee

Reprimand for possession of “ecstasy” and cocaine more

Name restored after removal for sales to addict more

Restoration for man who was struck off for motoring offences more

Former addict restored to the register after rehabilitation more

Reprimand for possession of “ecstasy” and cocaine

The Statutory Committee has reprimanded a young New Zealand pharmacist convicted of possessing “ecstasy” tablets and cocaine. The chairman warned that pharmacists who used recreational drugs and supplied them to others faced removal from the register.

At its meeting on 7 May 2003 the committee inquired into the case of Kim Hilda Letford, of 7 Devereux Road, London SW11. Information had been received that on 25 October 2002, at Bow Street magistrates’ court, London, Miss Letford had pleaded guilty to, and been convicted of, two counts of the possession of Class A Controlled Drugs, namely 20 tablets of MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine, “ecstasy”) and 0.516g of cocaine, in contravention of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Both offences had taken place on 24 August 2002, at Heaven night club, London. Miss Letford was fined a total of £450 and ordered to pay £50 costs.

The facts of the case were presented by Geoff Hudson, of Penningtons (solicitors).

Miss Letford, who attended the inquiry, was represented by Scott Ewing, of David Phillipson & Partners (solicitors).

Giving the committee’s decision, the chairman (Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, QC), said that Miss Letford had been an extremely foolish and naive young woman. Had she been convicted of intent to supply, which was included in Section 4.1 of the Misuse of Drugs Act under which she had been charged originally, there would have been no option but to remove her name from the register. “Young pharmacists who use recreational drugs — or, indeed, any pharmacist who use recreational drugs and supply them to others — should be warned unequivocally that they face removal from the register if convicted of that greater charge,” said Lord Fraser. However, Miss Letford had been convicted of the lesser charge of possession and the fines imposed indicated that the court had not taken as serious a view as they sometimes did.

The nature of the conviction amounted to misconduct such as to render Miss Letford unfit to be on the register, the chairman said. Any breach of the Misuse of Drugs Act by pharmacists entrusted with public responsibilities by Parliament was professionally wholly unacceptable. But, in her favour, she had been frank with the police over her purchase of the drugs, her profession, and what she had intended to do with the drugs. The committee felt that she had learnt a salutary lesson.

She had provided good references; those, and her strong, influential family background in New Zealand, were taken into account.

The committee directed that Miss Letford should be reprimanded and indicated that the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand should be informed of the decision.

Name restored after removal for sales to addict

The name of a pharmacist whose name had been removed following the supply of kaolin and morphine mixture to a woman addicted to it has been restored by the Statutory Committee.

At its meeting on 7 May 2003, the committee considered an application for restoration by Shervin Nikjoo, of 33A, Connaught Avenues, Frinton-on-Sea, Essex.

Geoff Hudson, of Penningtons (solicitors) was present to provide the facts of the case.

Mr Nikjoo was present and was represented by David Reissner, of Charles Russell (solicitors).

Giving the committee’s decision, the chairman (Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, QC) said that before Mr Nikjoo’s previous appearance before the committee, in 1998, he had already sold the pharmacy at which there had been the problem over the issue of kaolin and morphine mixture. Since his removal from the register, he had worked as a dispensing assistant in the pharmacy he owned in Kirby Cross, under the direction of a superintendent pharmacist and locum pharmacists. It appeared to be a well run business. He had sought to keep abreast of developments in pharmacy and by keeping up to date with the literature.

Mr Nijkoo had told the committee that he was keen to extend his activities by working with his local primary care trust, but he could only do that if he was restored to the register.

The chairman continued: “While his conduct leading to his removal in 1999 was professionally wholly unacceptable, it is clear that he has recognised how unacceptable that behaviour was.” In the circumstances, and against the background of a number of full references, the committee directed that Mr Nijkoo’s name should be restored to the register.

Restoration for man who was struck off for motoring offences

The Statutory Committee has restored to the register the name of a man who was struck off for motoring offences.

At its meeting on 7 May 2003 the committee considered an application for restoration from Paulash Haider, of 5 Raintree Court, Cusworth, Doncaster, South Yorkshire. His striking-off had been ordered on 12 July 2000 after he had been convicted of driving while disqualified and without appropriate insurance (PJ, 18 November 2000, p750).

Geoff Hudson, of Penningtons (solicitors) was present to give the facts of the case.

Mr Haider attended the hearing.

Giving the committee’s decision, the chairman (Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, QC) said that at the time of the offences Mr Haider had shown a “somewhat cavalier” attitude towards the criminal law. But the committee was satisfied that he had learned a hard lesson from the convictions and the striking-off. There had been no criticism of his abilities as a pharmacist but he had fallen seriously below the standards expected of a professional person.

Mr Haider had now provided a full statutory declaration and the committee was confident that he had a more mature and balanced outlook on life. He had openly acknowledged that what he had done had not been compatible with what the profession stood for.

The committee ordered that Mr Haider’s name should be restored to the register.

Former addict restored to the register after rehabilitation

A former heroin addict has been restored to the register after the Statutory Committee learned of his rehabilitation.

At its meeting on 9 May 2003, the committee considered an application for restoration to the register by Dr Dafydd Griffin Williams, of 22 Rhodfa Anwyl, Rhuddlan, Rhyl, Clwyd. Dr Williams had been removed from the register for a second time on 29 December 1999 as a consequence of addiction to diamorphine (PJ, 19 February 2000, p290).

Geoff Hudson, of Penningtons (solicitors) presented the facts of the case to the committee. David Hutchison, of Goldstones (solicitors) represented Dr Williams, who was present.

The committee heard that Dr Williams was, or had been, undergoing counselling and rehabilitation, including treatment at Birdsgrove House and regular contact with the Pharmacists Health Support Scheme. Favourable reports were given of his ability to control his addiction.

Giving the committee’s decision, the chairman (Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, QC) said that Dr Williams had sought restoration to the register on a previous occasion, when he had been allowed to return to the register after a relatively short time. Regrettably, he had lapsed into addiction again and as a result, ultimately received a custodial sentence.

The committee had felt let down on learning that Dr Williams had again relapsed in his addiction, and it was hesitant to agree to his restoration again. Although the committee could not, as was the case with solicitors, issue qualified practising certificates, Dr Williams would be expected, if he were to return to pharmacy, to take employment where he would be supervised by another pharmacist.

The chairman warned Dr Williams that, should there be any relapse and he came before the committee again, his likelihood of ever returning to the register after that would be so remote as to be probably impossible.