Cancer patient fined £240 for buying drugs online

Friday 21 October 2016

A 37 year-old man with lung cancer who ordered drugs on the internet to help his anxiety has been fined £240 in the Magistrate's Court.

The court heard how Miguel Jose Moreira De Sousa had paid about £150 for some diazepam that was intercepted by Customs in August.

His Defence Advocate James Bell told the Court that ordering the diazepam, a drug illegal to get without prescription, was a misguided attempt to self-diagnose, that De Sousa was told he had lung cancer at the end of last year and had been undergoing both chemotherapy and radiotherapy this year.

Advocate Bell said De Sousa had struggled physically and emotionally and that his GP had previously prescribed him some diazepam to address "his low mood."

He said: "This is a very unusual case. It is more sad than bad, a very sad situation indeed."

He said it was an unsophisticated offence, that the package was addressed to him at his home address, there was no attempt to conceal the package and that it was intended for personal use.

He said prior to his diagnosis, De Sousa had a very good employment record but is now on incapacity allowance.

Advocate Bell said: "This is a very sad set of circumstances and he has learnt his lesson from the foolish mistake he has made."

Relief Magistrate Sarah Fitz fined De Sousa £240 and told him that this was an exceptional situation, that he must not order any more illicit drugs online and wished him well with his treatment.