A 28-year-old hospital doctor who stole drugs from the stroke unit at Kent and Canterbury hospital was under considerable stress because of a proposed arranged marriage, a court was told.

Over a 48-hour period, Dr Omah Ahmed stole seven 10mg ampoules of morphine, one ampoule of diamorphine and 10 morphine sulphate tablets.

When hospital staff went to his flat on the premises they found the doctor under the influence of drugs. Several empty ampoules were in the flat along with drug paraphanelia and syringes.

Dr Ahmed appeared for sentence at Canterbury Crown Court having admitted four thefts in April last year and was given a 12-month community order with supervision with a condition he continues treatment he is currently receiving.

Judge Adele Williams said it was to be hoped that when fully rehabilitated Dr Ahmed could return to practice medicine. He had already began taking advantage of help available to him.

Judge williams said: "I make this order because I think it is necessary to mark the offences and also to assist you in your further rehabilitation which is well advanced.

"When you committed these offences you were in a desperate place in terms of your mental health and personal development.

"For a doctor to steal drugs is a very serious matter but I am satisfied that you committed these offences when you were under post traumatic stress disorder and had considerable other pressures which caused you to offend."

Richard Scott, prosecuting, said Dr Ahmed had been at the hospital for six months when he first stole ampoules from the controlled drug cupboard in the stroke unit on April 12. Entry had to be forced.

The following day Dr Ahmed was treated for a minor eye injury and steri-strips used on the wound which later helped nursing staff identify him.

At 1pm on April 13 the ward manager noted two ampoules of morphine sulphate were missing and one more disappeared in the evening. A man matching the accused’s description was seen in the stroke unit. "He was asking about a wrong patient and requesting what was viewed as inappropriate treatment for a patient," said Mr Scott.

Later that day Dr Ahmed was treating an elderly patient on Kingston Ward and had prescribed morphine sulphate taplets.

He had requested her grandaughter to retrieve the patient’s usual medication which was not the common practice because hospital doctors usually spoke to the patient’s GP.

Dr Ahmed was later seen with the white prescription bag and because of his earlier behaviour, a nurse took the bag from him and handed it back to the grandaughter.

When his flat was checked, sulphate pills were found and had been taken at the time they were prescribed to the patient.

When Jacqueline Curd, site clinical manager for the East Kent NHS went with another staff member and police to his flat, he would not let them in at first. "He was disorientated and seemed to be under the influence of drugs because there was no smell of alcohol," said Mr Scott.

He at first denied theft then said he felt suicidal and had taken them. He was worried about a marriage his parents had arranged for him to someone he didn’t know and he wasn’t comfortable about it. He also felt he wasn’t getting support as a junior staff member he felt he needed.

In interview, he again said he was under great pressure because of the arranged marriage, work and his sister’s health problems.

The court considered reports from the probation service and psychiatrists. Dr Ahmed is currently under an interrim order from the GMC which restricted his abililty to practice in the next 18 months but allowed him to practice under certain conditions and with supervision.

Neelie Sharma, for Dr Ahmed, said he would have to go before a fitness to practice committee in the next 18 months. they could strike him off, suspended his licence for a time or impose further conditions.

The GMC were concerned about his return to work but doctors’ reports said he was fit to practice.

She submitted a conditional discharge would be appropriate saying it would been seen as an indication he didn’t need any extra support.

He was not a recidivist offender as he was not a recreational drug user. The offences were committed over 48 hours and he had almost immediatly afterwards been diagnosed as suffering from post traumatic stress.

The drugs were taken in a clumsy and reckless manner and there was little effort to conceal his actions. This may well reinforce defence submissions that it was a cry for help rather than anything more sinister.

Afterwards, the doctor couldn’t recall how he had committed the offences.

She said the rehabilitation aspect was already being addressed and he was unlikely to reoffend. "His life has been limbo which for someone of his profession must be very difficult," she said.