Pharmacist banned from working with children

A pharmacist convicted of possessing child pornography has been banned by the High Court from working with children, home visits and acting in a supervisory role.

The pharmacy regulator has censured Killian McLoughlin, who was convicted in November 2010 of possessing photographs of naked young children, and attached conditions to his future employment.

McLoughlin, from the Ring area of Waterford, is not allowed to work as a superintendent or supervisory pharmacist, according to a determination by the council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland.

Future employment
He is required to notify the society of any future employment as a pharmacist, and to tell his employer that he has been found guilty of professional misconduct and convicted of an offence under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998. He was placed on the sex offenders' register for three years from the date of his conviction in 2010.

The council ruled he may not see any person aged under 18 “unaccompanied in private consultation rooms or elsewhere” while practising as a pharmacist. He is also required to submit to regular psychiatric assessment at least once a year. It said it took into account his preparedness to admit to his professional misconduct and to get professional advice and treatment in arriving at its decision.

Conditions
It considered limiting the condition to a specific time period but decided not to do so in consideration of the need to protect the public and, particularly, children. McLoughlin is entitled to make an application to have the conditions lifted at a future date. The council's decision was confirmed by the High Court this month, as required by legislation.

Last December the professional conduct committee of the PSI found McLoughlin guilty on three counts of professional misconduct. A hearing was told he had lost his job since his conviction.