A paramedic who tricked a woman into having an abortion by using abortion dr*gs in secret during s** was jailed for ten years and 6 months.
The sentence was handed down following a hearing in a court that revealed the way in which he frightened his victim, causing her “considerable pain,” and left her in “a lifetime of pain and loss”, BBC News reports.
Met While Married, Relationship Turned to Tragedy
Stephen Doohan, 33, Clinical Team Leader with Stephen Doohan, 33, is a clinical team leader with the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS). He met the woman vacationing on holiday in Spain in 2021. He began an online relationship even though he was married; this was not disclosed to her until the moment of disclosure.
In the month of March 2023, the woman found out she was expecting Doohan’s baby and traveled to Edinburgh to meet Doohan. In the meantime, Doohan had temporarily separated from his wife. On the 14th of March, 2023, on the day she told him about her pregnancy, Doohan used a work intranet to look for pregnancy dr*gs, as the High Court in Glasgow heard.
Secret Administration of Dr*gs During S**
On the 17th of March, 2023, in a consensual s** act at the Edinburgh residence within the Grange area, Doohan inserted an abortion dr*g into the woman’s vagina, without her consent, as per Sky News. The following day, when she noticed a white spotting in her underwear and experienced abdominal cramps and stomach pain, she went to the Doohan’s home and was given diazepam for her discomfort, causing her to slip into a “deep sleep.”
The court heard that she was awakened by Doohan engaging in s**ual contact, and despite feeling something numbing being inserted into her, she initially thought it was a toy for s**, as per The Guardian. But she began to suspect, and after Doohan was gone, she scoured beneath the mattress for the shape of a star and a syringe containing tablets inside.
After doing some online research for similar images, she discovered a match of dr*gs that could cause the termination of her employment. She confronted Doohan at first; he denied the claims after crying and saying that he felt “scared.” He admitted that he had purchased the dr*gs from a doctor but claimed that the dose was wrong and wouldn’t work.
Hospital Visits, Miscarriage, and Attempted Cover-Up
Doohan got her to tell doctors lies at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, afraid he’d be detained in the event that she revealed the truth. In the following days, she visited another hospital along with her sister. There, she was told that she was suffering an unplanned pregnancy.
The next day the lady fell over in her shower. She then went to the hospital, but insisted this time that Doohan was not in the exam room. The court found that she was pregnant but miscarried.
At this time, Doohan bought the woman presents, such as perfume, socks, and facial cleansing oil. tickets to a soccer match and even offered money to have her hair trimmed in an effort to keep her from being loud.
Victim’s Pain and Loss
The victim’s emotional impact statement is ablaze in raw pain, as per Judge Lord Colbeck, and noted Doohan’s conduct caused permanent psychological damage to the victim.
You caused her a lot of discomfort over a few days, and she was left with a lifelong burden of pain and loss,the Lord Colbeck said to Doohan in his statement. He added, You did your research and planned the actions you took towards your victim. You made use of resources that you could have as a paramedic before manipulating the woman and then executing your plan under the cover of s**ual consent.
The judge also said that Doohan’s offenses were nearly the same as any other court has ever had to decide on a sentence.
Sentencing and Consequences
Doohan confessed to s**ual assault, causing the woman to undergo the abortion that she had in May, and was sentenced last week to ten years and 6 months in prison. He was also given a non-harassment order for a non-determinable time. Doohan was added to the list of s**ual offenders and banned from communicating with the victim.
Lawyer for the defendant, Mark Stewart KC, stated that Doohan is “deeply sorry” and “filled with remorse” for his actions. Stewart added that Doohan was struggling with his judgment when he made the decision; however, this didn’t excuse what occurred.
Responses from Authorities
Fiona Kirkby, procurator fiscal for s**ual offenses in the high court, said that Doohan’s actions were brutal and calculated, stating Stephen Doohan’s deliberate and insidious actions resulted in an end to the victim’s baby, taking away any plans for her future.
He is now accountable for the utterly negligent violation of trust.
She said, Although crimes like this are not common, I would like to think that this case conveys a clear message to anyone who tries to do harm to women. We recognize that reporting s**ual assault isn’t easy, but we would encourage anyone who is affected to speak up and seek help as soon as they feel able to make the decision.
The Scottish Ambulance Service called it an “appalling case,” stating that “we appreciate the courage it required for the victim to openly speak up and be heard.” When we first learned of the serious allegations and charges, we immediately acted and continued to provide assistance to her while coordinating in conjunction with Police Scotland throughout the investigation.
It is certain that nothing can alter the circumstances of the victim. All we can hope for is that this sentence will bring some peace for them.