Transsexual admits forgery of morphine prescriptions in Clare

A Russian-born transsexual yesterday pleaded guilty to forging prescription notes in order to obtain morphine to deal with the…

A Russian-born transsexual yesterday pleaded guilty to forging prescription notes in order to obtain morphine to deal with the pain arising from his sex-change operations.

At Ennis District Court yesterday, Nicholas Krivenko (30), of Hurdlestown House, Broadford, Co Clare, pleaded guilty to producing false prescriptions on 13 occasions at an Ennis pharmacy between October 26th and December 1st last year.

Garda John Ryan told the court that Krivenko, when obtaining the morphine, told staff at Mary Jo Duffy's pharmacy that he was a doctor from Switzerland and was dying of cancer.

His solicitor, Mr John Casey, said that as a result of the gender reassignment operations his client underwent in 1997 and 1998, Krivenko was in constant pain and suffered from osteoporosis.

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"Mr Krivenko took the morphine purely to relieve the pain. He did not obtain the drug for financial gain," he said.

Insp Tom Kennedy said Krivenko had two previous convictions relating to charges arising from his morphine addiction, for which he had received a total of one year and four months in suspended jail terms.

In relation to one incident in 2000, Insp Kennedy said Krivenko shot himself with a shotgun in order to obtain morphine, but gave gardaí two false statements saying a third party had shot him.

Mr Casey said his client was the holder of a medical degree from Germany and believed that the morphine levels he was administering to himself were not dangerous.

Garda Ryan said Krivenko had been living in Ireland for five to six years and came from a wealthy background in Russia.

Krivenko, who operates dog kennels in Broadford, Co Clare, and is now a citizen of the Dominican Republic, recently failed in a High Court challenge to have his same-sex marriage recognised by the Irish State.

The judge adjourned the case until June 6th to allow probation and medical reports to be prepared.