Morphine addict forged prescriptions

A woman who became addicted to morphine medication after an accident at work has admitted forging prescriptions to get the drug.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Tracey Byrne, aged 32, was prescribed injections of cyclimorphine, which contains morphine, because she was suffering from chronic pain after her accident.

When her GP stopped these prescriptions in 2012, Byrne tried unsuccessfully to get other doctors to prescribe the medication. She then began forging the prescriptions.

The mother of two, of Old Church Rd, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to fraudulent alteration of a prescription at Bradley’s Pharmacy, Fortfield Rd, Terenure, on May 23 and June 5, 2012.

She also admitted forgery of a prescription at O’Hara’s Chemist, Dublin, on June 1, 2012.

Judge Desmond Hogan adjourned sentencing to next October and remanded Byrne on bail on condition that she doesn’t enter pharmacies in the Dublin 6 area.

Garda Mary Lavin told Vincent Heneghan BL, prosecuting, that Byrne presented a prescription to staff at Bradley’s Pharmacy under the name Suzanne Farrell. Staff became suspicious and asked her to come back the next day for the medication. The pharmacy contacted the prescribing doctor who said that he had not written the prescription. Gardaí arrested Byrne when she returned to pick up the prescription the next day.

During a search of her home, gardaí found six more forged prescriptions for cyclimorphine.

Judge Hogan said Byrne had to stop offending or face prison.