An Auckland pharmacist has been sentenced to nine months home detention after recycling medications and selling them to unsuspecting patients, some of whom were in rest homes.
At the sentencing in the Auckland District Court this morning, Judge Dawson said Terence John Osborne had exploited his position as a trusted health professional for more than three years and over thousands of transactions.
Judge Dawson told the court two medical control advisers conducted an unannounced inspection on one of Osborne's pharmacies, and found old medicine bottles with aged labels, as well as 20 to 30 boxes of returned medicines.
He said Osborne admitted recycling medicines from returned blister packs.
The judge said, by knowingly fudging transactional documents, Osborne was responsible for a financial loss of over $155,000.
He said though Osborne could have faced more than a year in jail, home detention was more appropriate.
Judge Dawson said Osborne had shown remorse for his actions and paid reparations in full.
