Drugs-for-sex MD wins parole reprieve

A St. John's doctor jailed for trading drugs for sex had his suspended day parole reinstated Wednesday after the NationalParole Board dismissed a recommendation that he should remain in prison.

Sean Buckingham, 49,was sentenced to seven years inprison in January 2008 for sexually assaulting his patients and drug trafficking.

Buckingham traded prescription drugs, such aspainkillers OxyContin and Percocet, for sex. One of his victims testified he tied her to a tree and sexually assaulted her.

Buckingham was granted day parole in mid-March for six months andwas living at a halfway house in St. John's.

But his day parole was suspended in May and he was sent back toprison after it was reported to his parole officerthatBuckingham was verbally and physically abusive tohis mother and brother while visiting them.

It was alleged that Buckingham harmed his mother when he threw a set of car keysat herin anger.

It was also claimed that he was verbally abusivewith his brother who had smoked in a car that Buckingham used. He said it irritated his asthma.

After that, Buckinghamwas sent back to Her Majesty's Penitentiary in St. John's.

Parole board hearing

On Wednesday morning at a National Parole Board hearing, Buckingham's parole officer recommended that his day parole should be revoked and he should be kept in the penitentiary.

In the hearing Buckingham defended his actions.

"I earned my day parole. I apologized and I have remorse for my victims," he said. "I want to be free. So I'm fighting for my freedom here."

At the conclusion of the hearing,the parole board panel reinstated his day parole, saying he didn't pose an undue riskto the public.

While the panel said it was clear that Buckingham has a troubled relationship with his brother,they also said there was no reason to believe that Buckingham had committed a crime or intended to harm his mother.

He'll stay inprison until he returns to a halfway house in St. John's next week with the same conditions that were given when he originally received day parole.

Back to day parole

Buckinghammust continue psychiatric treatment for his bipolar condition and is prohibited from drinking alcohol or visiting a bar.

He is not allowed to have contact with prostitutes or escort services.

National Parole Board documents obtained by the CBC said a psychological assessment last winter found Buckingham's risk of committing sexual offences again was in the moderate-to-high range.

"Along with any interruption in your medication regime, the psychologist noted a return to your manic lifestyle, adopting negative attitudes that legitimize inappropriate sexual behaviour towards women and/or a return to associating with negative peers, may render your risk unmanageable," the document said.

The document also addressed what Buckingham said at his parole hearing in March.

"You admitted to abusing your position of trust by sexually abusing your victims in exchange for drugs," the report said. "You explained that you sexually assaulted your victims to cope with your depressed state of having a low self-esteem."

In February, Buckingham's licence to practise medicine in Newfoundland and Labrador was revoked by the province's College of Physician and Surgeons, and his name struck from the medical registry.