A Co Armagh pharmacist has been struck off the professional register following a litany of criminal convictions, including the persistent use of cocaine.
Richard Andrew Lyness, who is originally from Portadown but operating in Stockton, England, was also convicted of harassment and making death threats.
As a result, the registered pharmacist went before the General Pharmaceutical Council’s regulatory committee earlier this month.
Lyness pleaded guilty to 18 separate charges spanning three separate court issues between June 2021 and June 2023, receiving a four month suspended prison sentence in June last year.
During his Fitness to Practice hearing, the committee heard that his convictions included multiple instances of misused electronic communications, harassment and making threats to kill, which included a number of sectarian comments and text messages.
These included messages: “I am going to slit your throat and that fat fenian you brought into our family. Your a
fat waste of space. How dare you speak down to me. Your a dead man walking be carefuL I’ve a bounty on you.”
And: “F*** you. You are all a pack of c****. Your Fat fenian b***h of a bird I will get her done in you fat b*****d.”
Another, which read: “Fenian fat c***… I ever bump into your fenian kids ill castrate them and I will slit you up you fat f***…”
And: “You’re a fat stupid condescending c***. I want nothing to do with you and your fenian family. Your fiancée is a fat ugly b****…If I bump into you I will be knocking you out the f*** out. Keep an eye out for your dog and cat you fat c***”.
In written submissions to the committee, Lyness said: “I genuinely am sorry for my behaviour. I have always been a loyal person who stands up for what I believe is right, but with hindsight I’m ashamed to say I have taken this too far.”
He added that he has “used cocaine on occasion socially during the last few years….Although I am not dependent, I recognise that this has to stop permanently and have sought support to get to complete and continued abstinence”
He accepted “that taking cocaine is not acceptable and was a foolish way to try to ‘cope’ with the stressful situations of the last few years” and recognised that “this has to stop….I sincerely apologise to everyone I have hurt, especially my profession, fellow colleagues, family and wife….”.
He also stated that: “I am very ashamed and extremely remorseful of my actions and regret how I behaved.”
Lyness further acknowledged: “I know I deserve to be punished for my mistakes but I hope we could come to an agreement that would work for everyone, so I can continue to use my skills for the benefit of the community and patients.”
However, the committee were less obliged stating that anything other than striking Lyness from the register “would
inadequately reflect the grave seriousness of [his] offending behaviour” and “that his behaviour, in all the circumstances is fundamentally incompatible with remaining on the register”.
