A doctor in Adelaide has pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of a pharmacist last year, after the GP was reported to AHPRA for inappropriate prescribing.
69-year-old Brian Holder allegedly went to the Terry White Chemists outlet where Port Lincoln pharmacist Kelly Akehurst worked, concealing a knife in his pocket while carrying a bunch of flowers.
At the time he was a doctor at the Reynella Medical Centre in Morphett Vale, and earlier in 2017 Akehurst had reported him to AHPRA after dispensing multiple identical prescriptions he had issued for large amounts of medications containing codeine and benzodiazepines.
An investigation by the agency saw restrictions placed on Holder, which became effective on 06 Oct.
According to prosecutor Partrick Hill, the doctor then travelled to Port Lincoln where he planned to confront the pharmacist.
He entered the pharmacy with the flowers and the knife, and asked to see Akehurst.
When she approached him rather than giving her the flowers, he allegedly took the knife from his jacket pocket and started stabbing Akehurst who sustained deep lacerations as she attempted to defend herself.
She managed to break free and run to the front entrance, while her attacker fled the pharmacy and drove to a hotel where he attempted to kill himself.
Holder testified that he "vaguely remembered" stabbing the pharmacist, and had only planned to confront, rather than kill her.
He said he "felt a little bit angry" at Akehurst for reporting him, but "understood why she had done it".
However police said his actions showed clear premeditation, with Holder having left behind a suicide note and also mailed life insurance papers to his wife.
The trial is being heard in Port Augusta without a jury by Justice Ann Vanstone, who will hand down her decision at a later date.
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