A St. John's physician has been sentenced to seven years for sexual assault and drug trafficking.

A jury convicted Dr. Sean Buckingham on a dozen charges in December, ending a sensational trial that included testimony from drug-addicted women who said they had sex with Buckingham to obtain a narcotic fix.

Sean Buckingham was convicted in December on a dozen charges of sexual assault and drug trafficking.
(CBC)

Buckingham showed no emotion during Monday's sentencing at Newfoundland Supreme Court and said nothing to journalists as he was led out of the courtroom.

Justice James Adams, who brought down the decision Monday afternoon, actually sentenced Buckingham to seven years and nine months. The nine months account for the time that Buckingham has spent in custody since he was found guilty in December, as well as for time following his arrest in May 2005.

Defence lawyer Randy Piercey, who had argued for a lesser sentence of between 50 and 60 months, had no immediate comment following the sentencing.

Buckingham's family also did not comment.

Adams also ordered that Buckingham's name be added to the national registry of sexual offenders. He was also ordered to turn over a DNA sample.

Further, Buckingham is prohibited from owning a firearm for 10 years following his release from prison.

Crown lawyers, who had asked for a 10-year sentence, described Adams's ruling as fair.

Buckingham's jury heard wiretap evidence of Buckingham making arrangements with a woman, who was also convicted with drug trafficking, for what the Crown said were drug deals. Buckingham used code words like "candy bars" during the calls.

The two-month trial also included testimony from a woman who said Buckingham tied her to a tree, struck her with a branch and sodomized her.

Prime target of investigation

Buckingham was found not guilty on six other charges. During the course of the trial, Adams dismissed five additional charges.

The jury heard from Royal Newfoundland Constabulary investigators, one of whom described Buckingham as the prime target of a lengthy investigation into the street trade of OxyContin, a powerful narcotic often prescribed to cancer patients.

The prevalence of OxyContin had become so dire that it sparked a task force, whose August 2004 report led to tighter rules in how the drugs could be prescribed.

Buckingham by that point was under police surveillance. He was arrested at his St. John's home in May 2005.

The jury's verdict prompted an automatic review of Buckingham's licence by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Newfoundland and Labrador. Buckingham surrendered his licence temporarily in 2005.