Spurned NSW pharmacist appeals jail term

A Sydney pharmacist who spiked a colleague's drinks with prescription drugs over a one-year period has avoided prison for the time being after he lodged an appeal against his sentence.

Yan Chi Cheung was sentenced to at least 10 months behind bars on Tuesday for poisoning colleague Pamela Leung 23 times, but immediately lodged an appeal and was granted bail.

The Waverley Local Court heard Cheung, 34, began lacing Ms Leung's water and coffee with antihistamines, anti-psychotics and anti depressants after she rejected his advances in 2015.

Sometimes he crushed pills and mixed them into her water and in another instance he slipped drugs into her tin of coffee.

The court heard the married pharmacist had become obsessed with Ms Leung but wanted her to suffer after she rejected his sexual advances and told him to stop.

Cheung even prayed publicly for his victim's health to improve during the time he was secretly poisoning her.

He has been suspended from practising and, the court heard, is unlikely to find work in his field again. Cheung's appeal will be heard in the Sydney District Court at a later date.