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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.
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 a "vulnerable and manipulative" patient by letting Mr Goodridge stay with him.
He prescribed medication to three patients without recording findings or supervising their use. He also consumed drugs that he had prescribed for 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."
Despite the commitment shown the hearing concluded his behaviour was "totally unacceptable", and the panel expressed concern about the lack of "professional boundaries".
The report added: "You gave out your mobile telephone number to certain patients, made yourself available 24 hours a day, and let a vulnerable and manipulative patient stay at your house.
"Furthermore, you took on three difficult patients without adequate training, two of whom came under the violent patient scheme."
"Had it not been for the exceptional testimonials...the panel would have felt it necessary to consider the sanction of erasure."
To remain in the profession Dr Equizi will have to prove himself at a further fitness to practice hearing in less than a year.
This guy was my Doctor from when I was born untill 2005 when he got suspended. He is nothing short of a brilliant Doctor who has helped me with a several problems. Would hate to see him lose his license.
Shame that if he keeps it he'll probably have to move elsewhere to keep working.
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