An Otaki horse rider who became addicted to diet drugs while trying to keep her weight down for her job has admitted forging prescription forms.
Nicole June Groom, aged 26, a track rider, appeared in the Porirua District Court yesterday and pleaded guilty to six charges of using forged prescriptionforms.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Glenn Williams said Groom was required to keep a low body weight for her job in the horse-racing industry.
To do this, she had been prescribed the drugs Tenuate Dospan and Duramine.
But after prescribing the drugs 43 times, her doctor feared that Groom had become addicted and refused to let her have any more.
Between January 1, 1999, and July 31 this year Groom used 63 forged prescriptions at pharmacies in Otaki, Levin and Paraparaumu to obtain the drugs.
On July 31, the police were called to a Paraparaumu pharmacy.
The pharmacist had phoned Groom's doctor to check the authenticity of the photocopied prescription form Groom had presented.
Defence lawyer Michael Scott said Groom had become addicted to the drugs and had since sought treatment.
Judge Christopher Tuohy convicted Groom and remanded her on bail for sentencing next month.
He also ordered Groom to undergo a drug and alcohol assessment.
