A DOCTOR who handed out recreational drugs to friends – including a young student who died as a direct result – has been suspended from practicing medicine for a year.
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service decided that James Morgan’s actions had impaired his fitness to practice, and “fell below the standards to be expected of a doctor”.
Newcastle University student James Steen, 23, died in July 2014 at a party thrown by Morgan, 29, at his home in Wood Street.
Morgan, who had worked at Coventry’s University Hospital, was not charged over the death, but was jailed for six months in March for supplying class B and C drugs.
The tribunal heard Morgan, who was released from jail in May, handed out class B drug Mephedrone and class C drug gamma-hydroxybutrate (GHB) to friends including Mr Steen.
Morgan later awoke to discover Mr Steen was not breathing, and he was later pronounced dead by paramedics.
Panel chair Ian Spafford told Morgan he had “undermined the public’s confidence in the profession”.
However, he added: “The Panel has considered your prompt acceptance of responsibility for your actions and their tragic consequences and your deep and heartfelt remorse for the events which took place.
“The Panel has been provided with a large number of very positive testimonials which attest to your being a highly competent doctor and a reliable and supportive person. Colleagues you worked with were very surprised to learn of the events in question.
“The insight into the convictions which you have demonstrated in your oral evidence should mean that there is a much lower risk that you would reoffend again.”
Morgan’s case will be reviewed shortly before his suspension period ends.
