A DOCTOR who injected his wife with heroin is to spend six weeks in rehab.
Drug-addicted GP Ashley Sibery had his sentencing deferred until he completed the residential treatment.
He admitted a charge of culpable and reckless conduct after he convinced his wife to share his “last” hit with him in April this year.
The 39-year-old offered his wife the chance to “try some” before he injected her with £10-worth of the drug.
Soon afterwards his wife Sital became ill, collapsed on the couch and fell unconscious.
Sibery then called an ambulance, which took her to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where she spent six hours under observation.
Sibery, who appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today for sentencing, is still married to his wife and the couple have a three-year-old son.
The doctor, wearing a black suit, looked nervous as the court was told he is on a residential abstinence.
Overcome
He has previously lapsed during the programme and will remain in rehab until December 5 this year, said his defence lawyer Duncan Batchelor.
After he has completed this he is due to attend up to 30 sessions and meetings to monitor his progress.
Mr Batchelor said: “He has shown maximum efforts to overcome drugs and alcohol.
“He is attending three to five to seven meetings a week.”
He added: “His priorities at this stage are his wife and family.”
Sheriff Elizabeth Jarvie QC noted “there has been a previous lapse” in his treatment, which Mr Batchelor agreed had occurred.
Sibery is currently signed off on sick leave as a GP.
The General Medical Council will take approximately one year to hear whether to not if Sibery is fit to return to practise after the incident.
Sheriff Jarvie said: “What I propose today is to continue the case until shortly after 5 December.
“I want an updated report to see if he has completed this successfully or not.”
Ultimatum
She told Sibery: “I defer sentence until shortly after you have completed the programme.”
He will next appear at Edinburgh Sheriff court on 12 December for sentencing.
The court also heard today “his wife was shocked and angry” about his habit, and confronted him before she agreed to try the drug.
Fiscal depute Bruce Macrossan told the court: “The couple were discussing the matter and she gave her husband an ultimatum, to stop or she would leave him.”
The court heard: “Mr Sibery told his wife he had a small amount left in the house and wouldn’t get more and offered her to try some.
“She said yes and he injected her.
“After a few minutes his wife collapsed, lost consciousness.”
The fiscal depute continued: “Paramedics arrived quickly and he told the paramedics his wife took heroin.
“At 12.40am officers attended his home and officers noticed drug paraphernalia on the kitchen table.
“Mr Sibery explained to officers that he injected his wife with £10 worth of heroin to relax her.”
On the 6 June, Sibery attended a police station and was interviewed by police.
He voluntarily told officers he had injected his wife with the heroin.
