Statutory Committee

Striking-off for pharmacist who stole from employers more

Pharmacist's convictions for indecent assault lead to his removal from register more

Restoration granted after completion of rehabilitation course more

Striking-off for pharmacist who stole from employers

A pharmacist who stole from his employers by a “calculated and extended scheme” has been ordered to be struck off the register by the Statutory Committee.

At its meeting on 20 October 2003 the committee inquired into the case of John Kent Harrison, of 60 Chesterton Park, Cirencester, Gloucestershire. Information had been received that on 18 October 2002, at Lowestoft magistrates’ court, Mr Harrison had pleaded guilty to stealing £4,327.62 belonging to William Howells and Barry Brooks, of Howells & Brooks Pharmacy. Mr Harrison had been sentenced to a community service order for 200 hours and ordered to pay costs of £60.

Geoff Hudson, of Penningtons (solicitors), attended to present the facts of the case to the committee. Mr Harrison was present at the hearing; he represented himself.

The committee heard that the theft took place over a period from 1 November 2001 to 21 June 2002.

Giving the committee’s decision, the chairman (Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, QC) said the theft was a calculated and extended scheme involving deliberately banking the week’s takings late. Although Mr Harrison’s employers seemed to have had some inkling of what he was doing, the full extent of the thefts was discovered only when he had gone to Italy without arranging any locum cover.

Mr Harrison had explained how, in the unfortunate circumstances following the breakdown of his marriage, he had incurred debts. Most of those had since been repaid; he had been working as a pharmacist and was enjoying a stable relationship with a new girlfriend.

Sustained breach of trust

Against that background, said the chairman, the committee had been invited by Mr Harrison to postpone or adjourn its decision. However, it could not accede to that request. The theft had not been just a single or impulsive act but was a sustained breach of trust by a professional man over some seven months.

The committee directed that Mr Harrison’s name should be removed from the register. He had three months in which to appeal.

Pharmacist's convictions for indecent assault lead to his removal from register

The name of a pharmacist who had indecently assaulted two women in his pharmacy has been removed from the register by the Statutory Committee.

At its meeting on 23 October 2003 the committee inquired into the case of Anthony Shane Collins, of 37 Vista Way, Kenton, Harrow, Middlesex. Information had been received that on 28 April 2003 at Harrow Crown Court, Mr Collins had been convicted of two offences of indecent conduct against a female. He had been sentenced to 15 months imprisonment on each charge, to run concurrently, and ordered to sign on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

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

Mr Collins, who did not attend the inquiry, was represented by Michael Egans, of counsel, instructed by Kingsley Napley (solicitors).

The committee was told that Mr Collins ran a pharmacy in Stanmore and also practised as a homeopathic consultant, with his consulting room within the pharmacy. The two indecent assaults had taken place in the consulting room while Mr Collins had been purporting to examine the women.

The chairman (Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, QC), giving the committee’s decision, said that, in a letter, Mr Collins had sought to reopen the facts of his conviction. However, neither his counsel nor the committee could look behind the conviction.

The convictions for indecent assault, with particular emphasis on the fact that they had taken place within his own pharmacy, rendered him unfit to be on the register. Such conduct was wholly unacceptable and could only bring the profession into disrepute. Other provisions of the Code of Ethics, particularly those relating to patients, might also be applicable.

The committee ordered the removal of Mr Collins’s name from the register.

Mr Collins had three months in which to appeal.

Restoration granted after completion of rehabilitation course

The Statutory Committee, at its meeting on 22 October 2003, granted an application for restoration to the register by John Wyatt. The committee had ordered the removal of Dr Wyatt’s name at a hearing on 23 July 2002 (PJ, 21/28 December 2002, p892).

Geoff Hudson, of Penningtons (solicitors), appeared in order to give the facts of the case to the committee. Miles Bennett, of counsel (instructed by Dawbarns Pearson, solicitors), represented Dr Wyatt, who was present.

Giving the committee’s decision, the chairman (Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, QC), said that, ordinarily, an application for restoration would not be expected for about three years. In this case, Dr Wyatt had been told that the committee might consider an earlier restoration but not before he had completed a community rehabilitation course.

While Dr Wyatt’s application had been made slightly earlier than the committee might have expected, he had completed the community rehabilitation course successfully and had produced a number of good references.

The committee ordered Dr Wyatt’s name to be restored to the register.