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An NHS nurse who sold drugs to his friends for sex sessions has been struck off the register –after narrowly avoiding jail. D avid Popple, who previously worked for the health service in Canterbury, last year admitted that he had dealt methylamphetamine. But following a misconduct hearing with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) earlier this month, he was banned from the profession. Popple, from Hythe, first qualified as a nurse in 1983 and spent many years volunteering for St John’s Ambulance service. But his career came to an end after police uncovered £3,300 worth of the synthetic drug in his caravan in Folkestone. At his sentencing hearing in 2024, Canterbury Crown Court heard how Popple had been selling it for £60 a gram to friends for use as a “chemsex” substance. Detailing the extent of Popple's dealings, defence barrister John Briant told the court his client’s actions lacked the elements of a large supply network. "Although there are end users, it's a small number of people rather than something like a county lines arrangement where there is a burner phone and messages sent out broadcasting," he told the court. "This was a small community of men using chemsex drugs. He was someone who was involved in a group of people who could obtain drugs... and he was the one who ended up organising it." Chemsex refers to sexual activity while under the influence of certain drugs. Mr Briant said Popple, of previous good character, had been experiencing problems in his personal and professional life as a nurse. He explained: “In 2020, he was subject to a complaint at work with three others. "It resulted in a long investigation and no further action was taken, but that significantly disrupted his working life and meant he became disillusioned, anxious and depressed. He then had a diagnosis of cancer in 2021 and had to undergo a number of surgeries, as did his best friend, for whom he ended up being his carer during Covid. "Unfortunately, his friend died, and he went through significant divorce proceedings with his husband, too. He lost his best friend, he was divorcing his husband, his father died, and a paramedic he knew was found dead. There were a number of people who lost their lives, and it was a really dark time for him. He became engaged with this group, and that's how it started." The court heard the NHS worker's illicit Class A supply was discovered in October 2022 when police were called to reports of a disturbance in Radnor Park Crescent, Folkestone. Officers found 50.98g of methylamphetamine with a street value of £3,355, as well as drug paraphernalia, including deal bags and syringes in his van. On deciding that he could suspend a two-year prison sentence for two years, Recorder Daniel Stevenson said that it was a "tragedy" that someone working in health care and aware of the harm caused by drugs had become involved in dealing. But he added that he believed Popple had been motivated by "social status" rather than making money. "You conducted an operation supplying what are colloquially referred to as chemsex drugs. The nature of the supply was directly linked to your own abuse of chemsex drugs as part of the gay social scene," the judge told Popple. Popple was told he must carry out 140 hours of unpaid work and 25 rehabilitation activity requirements. The NMC hearing was held in private, and details of what was said have not been revealed. A report has, however, confirmed that Popple attended to lay down his case at the meeting. It also confirmed that his ability to practice was deemed impaired, and a striking-off order was made. East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust has been contacted for comment.
