A JUDGE has slammed a Totton man who stole drugs and medical equipment from ambulances at Southampton General Hospital.

Michael Shanley grabbed the items from the vehicles parked at the accident and emergency department.

He was arrested after footage from security cameras was studied and he was recognised going to a counter asking for some needles.

Prosecutor Stuart Ellacott told the city crown court that four days later the 26-year-old appeared before magistrates and received a suspended sentence for attempting to break into a pharmacy.

But within three weeks, he walked into the office of an off-duty doctor at a Totton surgery and stole a prescription pad, which he used to write out two prescriptions for diazepam, which he presented at local chemists.

Staff were so concerned on the second occasion they called the police, who arrested him.

Shanley, of Andrew Close, admitted two counts of theft and using a false instrument and one of burglary. He also admitted being in breach of the suspended sentence.

Jailing him for five years, Recorder Alistair Malcolm QC told Shanley the treatment he had received for the overdose might have saved his life.

“You repaid them by breaking into the doctor’s room and taking his ID and his laptop and going into the two ambulances where you stole vital drugs and equipment.

“If those ambulances had gone out, someone else could have been put in danger and might have lost their life.

“You now realise that, you were clearly under the influence of drugs when you did it.

“I accept that when you are not under the influence of drugs, you are capable of leading an honest life but these offences are so serious they must be met by a prison sentence.”