Prescription altered to get double dose

Kelvin Jones, whose address was given to the court as Drumgor Park, Craigavon, faced two charges of making a false representation by altering a prescription to get Temazepam and sertraline hydrochloride on April 16 last year.

The court heard that on August 12 last year the investigation unit of the health and social care board contacted the police.

Two prescriptions given to the defendant by his doctor had been altered by marking times two initialled with a black pen.

The prescriptions were seized.

When interviewed Jones admitted it was his handwriting and that he had wanted to get a double dose.

Mr Conor Downey, representing the defendant, said Jones was now on a higher dosage.

He explained that the offences were committed out of frustration because the defendant believed that the dosage he was receiving was insufficient for him. There was nothing sinister in what he had done.

Mr Downey said his client had been requesting more from his GP but had met with a brick wall.

His dosage has since been increased.

District Judge, Mr Mervyn Bates, said this was an ‘extremely foolish’ way to go about this and the correct way was for Jones to speak to his doctor.

He added that the offences were serious enough to get a pre-sentence report and consider all the options.

The case was adjourned until May 11 so that a report could be obtained.