A BURNLEY paramedic could be kicked out of the profession after stealing thousands of litres of painkilling gas from ambulance supplies.

Timothy Standing dosed himself up on the addictive nitrous oxide based substance Entonox - commonly used to provide pain relief during childbirth and dental operations, a misconduct probe heard.

Bosses at the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) launched an enquiry after 133 cylinders, each containing 360 litres of Entonox, went missing in 2007.

When investigators searched Standing's home in Burnley they found six canisters.

He now admits taking between 15 and 20 cylinders in 2007, and claims he used it to get over a recent break-up.

Graham Lovatt, a sector manager for NWAS, told a Health Professionals' Council disciplinary hearing in Central London that he was asked to investigate the matter in September 2007.

He said: “I was made aware of the usage of the cylinders prior to the discovery of the gas at the property of Mr Standing.

“The Entonox usage had been going up. In July 30 canisters were used; in August around 50; and in September 180.

“The number of canisters we were having to order was very high.

“There was this increased usage without any explanation.”

Mr Lovatt said normally only 15 to 20 cylinders needed to be ordered per month.

He added that after speaking to other managers in the ambulance service, Standing’s name soon cropped up.

The paramedic was known to have had a number of personal difficulties, including the recent separation from his partner and the death of his father.

In September 2007, he was interviewed and came clean about taking the gas.

The hearing was told that after Standing came clean, the use of the gas returned to normal levels.

Greg Oceallaigh, for Standing, said the case was complicated because of his client’s poor memory.

He said that at the time of the allegations his client was suffering from ‘a minor depressive illness’ and was also taking the drug Champix to give up cigarettes.

He said this affected Standing’s memory to the extent he could not remember what he was doing in September 2007.

As a result Mr Oceallaigh asked the HPC panel if it would adjourn the case and re-open it before a health committee.

But his request was dismissed by the HPC panel.

He denies misconduct or that his fitness to practise is impaired.

Standing, formerly of The Moorings, Burnley, faces a single charge of taking an unspecified quantity of Entonox in 2007.

The hearing continues tomorrow (Monday).