by Paul Hooper

A Thanet nurse is facing being struck off after stealing and then forging NHS prescriptions to treat his own illnesses.

Diabetic Mark Russell, 30, claimed he used the prescriptions to avoid having to see his GP.

But a judge told him he had been arrogant to have been "his own doctor".

Russell had worked last year as both an agency and a bank nurse, including stints at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate.

But Canterbury Crown Court heard that during checks by senior staff in the hospital's Spencer Wing, they were alerted by two "high cost" prescriptions - which turned out to be forged.

Russell, who now lives in Surrey, has been sacked and faces the "almost inevitability" of having his licence being withdrawn, his barrister Roderick James said.

Judge James O'Mahony told Russell: "There is an element of arrogance in your conduct and in your confidence to manage your own medical affairs which you had no right or place to do.

"You misguidedly thought you were able to be a doctor in your own cause and could manage your own medical affairs and stealing NHS material to do that.

"However highly you may think you are qualified and are sure you can do that, I am afraid you can't. You have to leave that to those who are in charge."

The court heard how the nurse, who was being treated for diabetes, used the stolen prescriptions to avoid having to go to his own GP.

Prosecutor Helen Guest said Russell had forged the names of two consultants before taking the prescriptions to Tescos and Boots for anti-biotics and glucose strips.

Police also found he had 10 blank prescriptions and Med 3 certificates and had billed £175 for shifts he never did.

Mr James, defending, said: "This was under no circumstances done for commercial gain or any suggestion that anyone else was being given medication".

Russell pleaded guilty to five fraud charges and was given a four month jail term suspended for two years and ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work.