A GP who had cocaine in his surgery has been banned from practising for 12 months by the General Medical Council.

Traces of the Class-A drug were found on Dr Fabrizio Equizi’s desk at Claremont medical centre in Maghull in 2005. Two years later he was convicted at Liverpool Crown Court.

Equizi has not practised since the incident and has been taken off the list of registered doctors in Sefton.

However the GMC hearing refrained from striking him off because of positive patient and colleague testimonials proving he was a “good doctor”.

Police found the cocaine following the death of Equizi’s housemate and former patient, Simon Goodridge, from a drugs overdose.

The GMC concluded Dr Equizi, of Red Cat Lane, Crank, St Helens, had a lack of insight, and misjudged “vulnerable and manipulative” patients, letting Mr Goodridge stay with him.

He prescribed medication to three patients, but he did not record relevant clinical findings in medical notes, or supervise their use of the drugs.

He also consumed drugs that he had prescribed for the use of a patient.

The decision document reads: “The Panel was told that, at the time of the matters referred to in the allegation, you were under a significant amount of stress... you were dedicated to your practice and would work excessive hours.

“The Panel has heard evidence from five patients who said that you would, at times, spend up to an hour with each patient and sometimes gave out your personal telephone number to relatives of terminally ill patients.”