Secretary admits forging prescription
A SUFFOLK medical secretary has admitted forging a prescription for herself. Alison Reeves, who works at a local diabetes clinic, took the prescriptions to Sainsburys pharmacy at Warren Heath, Ipswich, South East Suffolk Magistrates heard.
A SUFFOLK medical secretary has admitted forging a prescription for herself.
Alison Reeves, who works at a local diabetes clinic, took the prescriptions to Sainsburys pharmacy at Warren Heath, Ipswich, South East Suffolk Magistrates heard.
Stephen Colman, prosecuting, said pharmacy staff became suspicious of the handwritten prescription and contacted the doctor who allegedly written it. When the doctor was telephoned he said he had not prescribed one of the drugs requested for some time. However, Reeves was allowed to leave the store with other medications off the prescription.
Reeves, 45, of Angel Lane, Woodbridge, was arrested and shown CCTV video footage of her offending. She pleaded guilty to obtaining property by deception on April 7.
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Mr Colman said: "Miss Reeves actually works at the diabetes clinic as a medical secretary where the doctor also works. When she was arrested she accepted she worked at the doctor's clinic and when she was shown the prescription she said it was her writing but she could not remember writing it or obtaining it."
He added that Reeves had previous convictions for deception and forgery.
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In mitigation the court heard that Reeves' offending related to her "long history of mental illness". Reeves suffered a "terrible" marriage break up resulting in "depression and anxiety".
Reeves was shaking and tearful throughout the hearing.
The court heard she was convicted of forgery in 2003 and sentenced to a community rehabilitation order but Reeves felt she was not receiving the therapeutic treatment she needed and had therefore re-offended.
A psychiatric report warned the court that Reeves was at risk of self harming if she was sent to prison. The consultant psychiatrist who wrote the report said a custodial sentence could do "more harm than good" in this case.
Magistrates adjourned sentencing until October 28 for an addendum to the pre-sentence report which was prepared before medical information came to light.
Reeves was released on bail until then.
