A MAN addicted to Valium has been jailed for five months for stealing a prescription pad and doctor’s stamp from a surgery where he had been refused the drug.
Paul McDonagh (31), originally from Innishannagh Park, Galway, who now lives in Tullow, Co Carlow, pleaded guilty before Galway District Court yesterday to stealing the prescription pad and doctor’s stamp from Dr Fergal Colohan’s surgery at the Galway shopping centre on July 29th last year.
Insp Mick Coppinger said McDonagh became abusive towards Dr Colohan when he refused to give him a prescription for Valium.
When the doctor went to the reception area to call the Garda, McDonagh grabbed his prescription pad and stamp and ran.
Gardaí called to a rental address in Renmore where McDonagh had been staying at the time and recovered the prescription pad and stamp.
McDonagh had made no attempt to write himself a prescription, the court was told.
Defence solicitor Sarah O’Dowd said McDonagh was addicted to Valium and other drugs and was also an alcoholic.
She said he had nearly died from a drink-induced seizure last September.
Doctors at the hospital where he had been treated for three days told him he had had a lucky escape from death.
Hearing that McDonagh had 17 previous convictions, some for thefts and burglaries, Judge Mary Fahy sentenced him to five months in prison for the theft.
Judge Fahy also imposed a consecutive one-month sentence on McDonagh for failing to appear in court last September to face the theft charge.