BBC Scotland News<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n A paramedic who secretly gave a pregnant woman an abortion drug, killing their unborn child, has been jailed for 10 years and six months.<\/p>\n Stephen Doohan, who was a clinical team leader with the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS), administered the drug after he found out the woman was pregnant with his baby.<\/p>\n The woman, who did not know Doohan was married when they were in a relationship, suffered a miscarriage after the 33-year-old crushed pills into a syringe and injected her as she lay in bed at his Edinburgh home in 2023.<\/p>\n Doohan pleaded guilty to assault, sexual assault and causing the woman to have an abortion at the High Court in Glasgow last month.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Judge Lord Colbeck said Doohan had put his victim, who has not been named, “through considerable pain over a number of days, and left her facing a lifetime of pain and loss”.<\/p>\n He added: “You researched and planned what you did to your victim.<\/p>\n “You used resources available to you as a paramedic before manipulating the woman and executing that plan under the guise of consensual sexual activity.<\/p>\n “You left her in what can only be described as considerable pain and anguish over the prospect of losing her child before she did, in fact, do so.<\/p>\n “The offences committed by you, frankly, are almost as serious as any this court is ever asked to sentence.”<\/p>\n The judge stated the emotional victim impact statement he had read “radiates with raw pain” suffered by the woman.<\/p>\n Lord Colbeck also imposed a non-harassment order for an indeterminate period of time on the 33-year-old.<\/p>\n Doohan previously featured in a BBC documentary series, Paramedics on Scene.<\/p>\n He was suspended by the ambulance service after it learned of what he had done and he is no longer employed by them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Doohan – who was married at the time \u2013 met the woman in Spain while he was on holiday in 2021.<\/p>\n He did not tell her that he was married and they remained in contact.<\/p>\n She found out she was pregnant with his child in March 2023 and by this time he had temporarily separated from his wife.<\/p>\n The court heard that the woman was at his home in the Grange area of Edinburgh a couple of days after he learned of the pregnancy.<\/p>\n She was in bed when he did something she could not see, but she said she was not “suspicious of his actions” at that time.<\/p>\n The court heard how he used the syringe on her and the woman began to suffer stomach cramps the next day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Later at his flat, he gave her diazepam for the pain.<\/p>\n The court heard how she ended up in a “deep sleep” and awoke to find Doohan “initiating sexual contact”.<\/p>\n This time she was suspicious of what he was doing but she was also feeling the effects of the diazepam.<\/p>\n When Doohan left the room, the woman took the chance to look under the mattress and found star-shaped tablets and a syringe with tablets crushed inside.<\/p>\n After searching online, she found matching images for drugs that could induce a termination.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Doohan initially denied what he had done before sobbing and claiming he was “scared”.<\/p>\n He said he had got the pills from a doctor but insisted they would not work as it was the wrong dose.<\/p>\n The court heard how Doohan and the woman went to hospital but he pleaded that he would be arrested if she “told the truth”.<\/p>\n The next day, the woman collapsed in the shower and had to return to hospital.<\/p>\n This time she insisted Doohan did not come in the examination room.<\/p>\n It soon emerged that she had suffered a miscarriage.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The court heard Doohan bought the woman gifts including perfume and tickets for a football match to keep her quiet.<\/p>\n But she eventually reported him to the ambulance service, the information was passed to police and Doohan was arrested.<\/p>\n Prosecutor Scott McKenzie said the woman has been “significantly affected” by her ordeal.<\/p>\n Mark Stewart KC, defending, said Doohan was “deeply sorry” for what he had done.<\/p>\n The lawyer added he had issues at the time which affected his “judgement and decision making” although that did not excuse what happened.<\/p>\n When he was convicted, the ambulance service said: “This is an appalling case, and our thoughts are with the victim. <\/p>\n “We recognise the courage it must have taken for her to come forward and speak out.<\/p>\n “As soon as we learned of the serious allegations and charges against Doohan, we immediately took action to protect the public and liaised with Police Scotland.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Fiona Kirkby, the procurator fiscal for high court sexual offences, said: “Stephen Doohan’s calculated and heinous actions caused the loss of the victim’s pregnancy, robbing her of plans she had for the future.<\/p>\n “He has now been held accountable for this fundamental breach of trust.<\/p>\n “While offences like this are thankfully rare, I hope this prosecution sends a clear message to all those who seek to inflict sexual harm towards women.<\/p>\n “We recognise that reporting sexual offending can be difficult but would urge anyone affected to come forward and seek support when they feel ready to do so.”<\/p>\n In a statement the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “This is an appalling case and we recognise the courage it must have taken for the victim to come forward and speak out. <\/p>\n “As soon as we learned of these very serious allegations and charges, we immediately took action, providing ongoing support to her whilst liaising with Police Scotland throughout the investigation. <\/p>\n “We know nothing will change what has happened to the victim and all we can hope is this sentence provides some comfort to them.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"SPINDRIFT](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/2e0f\/live\/3b5800a0-58ea-11f0-852a-fb4f43c1b4cc.jpg.webp\")
SPINDRIFT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n‘Appalling case’<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
‘Calculated and heinous actions’<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n