A doctor accused of stealing drugs from a colleague is to plead guilty to separate charges of unlawfully possessing class A substances, a court heard today.
A lawyer representing Dr Liam Farrell (51) told Newry Magistrates’ Court that his client will enter a plea of guilty to possession of diamorphine (heroin) and cyclimorph (a morphine-based drug used to treat pain) between March and July last year.
Dr Farrell, from Bridge Street in Rostrevor, Co Down also faces two other charges of stealing four ampoules of diamorphine from Dr John Gribben in the same period.
The GP, who works with Dr Gribben at Crossmaglen Health Centre in Co Armagh, is well known for media columns on health issues and has also written for a number of respected medical journals.
Asking magistrate Bonita Boyd to adjourn the case to next month, solicitor Kieran Connolly said the medic intended to plead guilty to the two possession counts at the next hearing.
The doctor did not appear in court today.
He is still eligible to practise but has had certain restrictions placed on him by the General Medical Council (GMC) while it carries out its own investigation.
A GMC spokeswoman said the GP could face a fitness to practice hearing.
The Department of Health’s enforcement team was involved in the police probe of Dr Farrell.
The case was adjourned to be heard again in Newry court on September 21st.
