A pharmacist has been struck off after he exploited a "vulnerable" woman for a year.

Shervin Nikjoo, of Connaught Avenue, Frinton, was struck off by the statutory committee of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society on Thursday.

He personally delivered kaolin and morphine to a woman and sent some packages by taxi, the hearing was told.

He was found guilty of misconduct in relation to excessive quantities of drugs being sold by the pharmacy and also of leaving his premises at The Pharmacy in The Street, Little Clacton, unattended.

However, he was cleared of failing to provide proper storage for drugs and other medicines.

He has three months to appeal.

Gary Fletcher, chairman of the committee, said: "The society's case is Mr Nikjoo supplied one patient - a Mrs X - with this mixture unceasingly over a period of one year.

"This lady had had a stomach operation and suffered from chronic diarrhoea. She had been alternately addicted to vodka or morphine.

"Her sister-in-law, through her car windscreen, saw Mr Nikjoo within the pharmacy supplying Mrs X with bottles, and from the bay window of the kitchen saw him visiting and regularly leaving polythene bags at Mrs X's door."

He added: "Supply in these quantities was not treating but abusing her. Mrs X was very vulnerable. Her vulnerability was exploited by Mr Nikjoo for financial gain and for no medical benefit to the patient.

"This was not a misjudgement but a deliberate course of action which no pharmacist should engage in."

The hearing heard that kaolin or morphine was rarely used as a first line treatment for chronic diarrhoea and if it was used it should be for no more than four weeks.

Admitting he made a professional error in selling kaolin and morphine over such a long period, Mr Nikjoo denied that he had only supplied large quantities of the treatment.

He said the patient in question was also spending around £100 a week on large quantities of cosmetics and toiletries from his shop.

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