Enniskillen Magistrates Court heard on Monday that on 22nd February police received a report that Robert Smyth had tried to obtain tablets from Mullan’s Pharmacy on Darling Street in Enniskillen using a forged prescription. Following enquiries with a GP in the Erne Health Centre, it was discovered the prescription had not been issued by a doctor for the defendant but was stolen on an unknown date. 

Smyth (29) of Tattygare Heights was charged with fraud and possession of a Class B Controlled Drug after cannabis was found on him following a police search. 

When questioned by police, Smyth said he had collected the prescription for a friend and took a few tablets. 

Smyth was also charged with a similar fraud offence the following day, 23rd February at Tempo Pharmacy when he again attempted to obtain prescription medication under the name of John Higgins, who the defendant claimed was his uncle. 

Further enquiries to the Erne Health Centre found that no prescription had made out to either Higgins and Smyth. The court heard that when interviewed by police in relations to both incidents, Smyth gave mostly no comment interviews and made no admissions. 

Referring to a pre-sentence report prepared for the case, defence barrister Steffan Rafferty said his client “suffers from severe anxiety” and had “ongoing addiction issues” which affected his “ordinary day-to-day living arrangements”. In a letter handed into the court, Smyth’s GP also referred to the “chaotic” nature of his lifestyle. 

Mr Rafferty said  Smyth didn’t realise how much trouble he would get into or the consequences of his actions in what he said was “an act of desperation”. 

District Judge Nigel Broderick pointed out that Smyth “knew what he was doing” and on hearing of his plans to go to South Africa, the judge asked if this was “a realistic ambition”. Mr Rafferty said Smyth was attempting to move away from “negative influences and be near close family”.   

Judge Broderick imposed a five month prison sentence suspended for three years.