Doctor ‘fought stresses of A&E’ by importing drugs

Michael Condon, 40, was previously convicted of possessing heroin in 2005 while he worked in Telford.

Last year Condon’s house in Bolton was raided after he used the dark web to import the amphetamine-related designer drugs Alpha PHP, Methylone powder and the psychoactive substance Flurohenmetrazine from an online company based in Amsterdam.

Parcels addressed to the doctor’s home were intercepted by border officials, revealing multiple packets containing 26g of Class B drugs worth around £100.

In 2005 Condon was given a suspended jail sentence after he faked patient prescriptions to order drugs from a pharmacy for his own use.

Following a period of suspension he was allowed back to work in 2006 but only under supervision and was banned from prescribing drugs.

At Bolton Crown Court this week, Condon admitted importing Class B drugs but walked free with an order to complete 200 hours unpaid work after he claimed he had been under ‘pressure’ at work and as result suffered a ‘relapse’ into taking drugs again.

It is believed he had been affected by the deaths of two children he had been treating.

Sentencing, Judge Elliott Knopf told Condon: “When talking about the importation of drugs one might have in mind a sophisticated operation involving significant quantities being brought into this country for the purpose of being sold on to others.

“Your case, I readily accept is very different.

“The drugs were for your own use and the quantities were indicative of that. You are a medical professional who has engaged in a stressful area of medical practise which is an accident and emergency unit in a hospital.

“There can be little doubt to anyone of any knowledge of what happens in A&E that working in that environment can impose stresses on those working there. It requires a great deal of ability on the part of the medical staff to be able to withstand these pressures.

“That does not of course amount to an excuse for being involved in the purchase of drugs and in arranging for these drugs to be passed through for your own use. But it is the context of using drugs as a coping mechanism and I accept that you feel remorse for what you have done.

“In my view, nothing will be served by imposing a sentence of imprisonment. You realise that what you were doing was wrong.”

The court heard that 13 years ago Condon had pleaded guilty to 10 charges of possessing controlled drugs, including three of heroin possession, plus eight charges of obtaining property by deception when he was working as a doctor in Telford.

He was sentenced to 18 months in jail, suspended for two years after it was revealed he had obtained drugs from a pharmacy and said the drugs were for patients when in fact they were for his own use.

He also had a drink-driving conviction from the year 2000.

In mitigation, defence lawyer David Wood said: “The defendant suffered personal trauma when he was assaulted whilst at medical school and this lead to problems with class A drugs as a coping mechanism which explains the previous conviction.

“The courts well know how difficult beating a class A addiction can be but he did that and went on to gain medical qualifications. He went on to establish the beginning of a commendable career and has gone on to become a credit to his profession and a valued member of the NHS.

“He got a job working as a consultant in emergency medicine but it can be ferociously draining and he experienced the death of two children that came under his care. He failed to deal with that properly and has allowed himself to relapse by taking inappropriate substances and allowed himself to self-medicate.”

The court heard a hospital in Scunthorpe had a possible job for Condon despite him currently having eight conditions placed on his registration. He is also expected to appear before a disciplinary panel of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service.