Dr Helen Sweeney, aged 62, is the first UK doctor to be convicted of involvement in the supply of Rohypnol to the black market.

She was given an 18-month suspended sentence by Knightsbridge crown court.

Judge Richard Walker said he would have jailed her for at least five years if it were not for her age and poor health.

Rohypnol has been used by date rapists in the USA

British police say there have been many cases of Royhpnol, which treats insomnia, being used in the USA by rapists who slip them into women's drinks without their knowledge.

The drugs make the women become very drunk and often pass out. Several have woken up to find that they have been raped.

The drug is no longer licensed for sale in the US because of the problems.

After the case against Dr Sweeney had been concluded, detective sergeant Nigel Tilley of the metropolitan police said: "It is totally possible some of these Rohypnol tablets which Sweeney illegally prescribed have found their way into the hands of date-rapists, an allegation which has recently become more common in this country."

Bogus patients

The court was told that Dr Sweeney had written out 74 prescriptions for bogus patients which she had then handed to her accomplice, Hessan Hassan.

There were prescriptions for almost 10,000 Rohypnol pills, which cost around £5 each and strong painkillers, including heroin substitutes.

Mr Hassan, who is thought to have fled abroad, took the prescriptions to a central London pharmacist who became increasingly suspicious at the large quantities of drugs involved.

He said Dr Sweeney assured him the prescriptions were genuine, but he eventually became so concerned that he contacted the police.

They found that the patients did not exist and detained Dr Sweeney.

She was convicted of conspiracy to obtain controlled drugs and supply of some of them.

Passing sentence, Judge Richard Walker told her: "You have betrayed your profession and society at large."