A Tauranga judge has reserved his decision in the sentencing of a Papamoa doctor who admitted to presenting fake prescriptions to local pharmacies claiming to be two male patients to obtain anti-depressants.

Ashley John Hodgson, 59, was due to be sentenced in Tauranga District Court today after earlier pleading guilty to five charges of dishonestly using a document.

According to court documents, on five different occasions on March 10 and 11 this year, Hodgson visited three local pharmacies and was given medication on three different instances.

During a visit to the Amcal Pharmacy on Girven Road on March 10, Hodgson presented a prescription for 90 Xanax tablets in the name of a male patient. He was given the tablets after claiming to be the patient.

Later on the same day, Hodgson visited Life Pharmacy at Bayfair Shopping Centre with another script for the same dosage of medication under a patient's name.

He was given half the dosage and told to return the following day for the remainder.

On March 11, Hodgson presented a script for 30 Nortriptyline HCL tablets and 90 Diazepam tablets at St John's Pharmacy at Palm Beach Plaza in Papamoa. He also returned to the Life Pharmacy at Bayfair for the remaining Xanax tablets.

Then three hours later, he returned to the Amcal Pharmacy in Girven Rd asking for the rest of the Xanax to be dispensed.

The pharmacist became suspicious of his actions and called police.

Hodgson was found with 70 Diazepam tablets in his possession.

In court today, his lawyer Bill Nabney asked Judge Peter Rollo to consider a discharge without conviction as his client was still to be dealt with by the medical council.

This application was opposed by police.

'He has pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and has taken up treatment for the issues that gave rise to this offending. This was for his own personal addiction and not a criminal purpose,” his lawyer told the court.

'This is the first time he has been in court for any kind of offending.”

After reading submissions from Bill and the police, Judge Rollo reserved his decision until next Monday.

'I want to have time to consider all aspects of this case and the implications from the medical council.”

Hodgson was remanded at large until next Monday.