A Darlington doctor who has already been fined £3,000 at Teesside Crown Court used the names of his son and some patients' in a prescription scam to obtain Codeine-based drugs a disciplinary tribunal in London was told today.

At the Crown Court Dr Robin Wade, of 26 Linden Avenue, Darlington, had admitted four counts of obtaining property by deception and asked for 18 similar offences to be taken into consideration, the General Medical Council was told. He was sentenced on 20 June, this year at Teeside Crown Court.

Mr Dafydd Enoch, for the Council, told its Fitness to Practice Committee, said that the four charges of obtaining property by deception and 18 further "TIC's" were "sample" offences in relation to prescriptions.

"There were a total of 22 prescriptions for Codeine based drugs - on June 17, 2004 Dr Wade presented a prescription in the name of his son, Nicholas, to a pharmacist in Darlington. The pharmacist was suspicious, contacted the authorities including police and the NHS counterfraud department," said Mr Enoch.

He said that on 2 March 2005 Dr Wade attended Darlington Police and was arrested and admitted providing 22 prescriptions."

An application for the hearing to go into private session for part of the case was allowed but is expected to resume in public session for the outcome.

The hearing continues.