A RESPECTED A&E doctor wrote hundreds of fake prescriptions to fuel his addiction to painkillers, a court was told.

Dr Timothy Wright, who lives in Blandford, admitted nine offences and asked for a massive 522 further crimes to be taken into consideration when he appeared before a judge at Bournemouth Crown Court.

Wright, a 42-year-old married father of Shottesford Avenue, wrote private prescriptions made out to himself and members of his family over a period of more than seven years, the court heard.

Prosecuting, Stuart Ellacott said the fake prescriptions eventually came to light when a locum pharmacist came across them as he worked in several different locations.

Wright, who was working in A&E at Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester at the time of his crimes, admitted offences of theft by an employee, using false prescriptions, forgery and one of possession of a class A drug with intent to supply.

The court was told he had supplied drugs to his 80-year-old mother when she was in severe pain.

Defending, Oba Nsugbe QC, told the court Wright came from a family of doctors and his father was an eminent consultant in the Navy.

He said Wright, who qualified as a doctor in the 1980s, was in the British Army for eight years and found it difficult to adjust to civilian life when he left the Army and moved to Blandford.

He said Wright had started to use the painkillers due to back pain and dental problems but had become addicted to them.

Sentencing, Judge Samuel Wiggs said: "I think arrogance started your offences. You come from a background where it was regarded as appropriate and acceptable to medicate yourself and members of your family.

"You have brought shame on yourself and great difficulty to your wife and young children."

Wright was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to do 160 hours unpaid work.

The court was told he resigned from the hospital but was later dismissed by the Primary Care Trust.