A man fraudulently edited a prescription for pain relief medication to feed his addiction, a court has heard.
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Lachlan Ronis, 28, pleaded guilty at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Monday.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Steve Repac said Ronis was prescribed oxycontin for jaw pain by a doctor.
The court heard he fraudulently edited the prescription dates, strength and quantity five different times in 2019 and was successful in receiving the medication from the same pharmacy.
Clearly if everyone did what you did it would bring the whole health system to its knees.
- Magistrate John Lesser
Senior Constable Repac said Ronis attempted to receive medication using the fraudulent prescription another time at a different pharmacy in June, 2019 and the pharmacy reported it to police.
The court heard Ronis made full admissions when interviewed by police and said he had become addicted and was using the medication to cope with his pain.
Defence lawyer Scott Belcher said Ronis had strong support from his family and had undergone 'solid' rehabilitation since the offending behaviour.
Mr Belcher tendered a letter from Ballarat Community Health and UFS Medical Centre to the court that provided details of Ronis' mental health care plan.
"You can see from the documents he has done everything he can not to be in that situation again," he said.
Magistrate John Lesser said general and specific deterrence was a factor in sentencing, but he took into account the context of drug addiction and the steps Ronis had taken to address his addiction.
Ronis was convicted and fined $2500.
"Clearly if everyone did what you did it would bring the whole health system to its knees," Mr Lesser said.
"I would have sentenced you to a community corrections order but it appears you have already done everything I would have asked you.
"You are 28-years-old, you have a bit of history.
"You will go to jail at some point if you keep doing this stuff."