Twisted BBC paramedic jailed for forcing abortion drugs into woman during sex
Stephen Doohan, who previously featured in the BBC documentary series Paramedics on Scene, was married when he met the woman on holiday in Spain in 2021 and began a long-distance relationship.
In March 2023, the woman travelled to Edinburgh to see him after learning she was pregnant, the High Court in Glasgow heard.
On March 17, 33-year-old Doohan inserted an abortion drug into her vagina without her knowledge during consensual sex, and the following day insisted on seeing her underwear after she noticed white discharge, the court heard.
Doohan had previously pleaded guilty to sexual assault and depositing a drug into her vagina causing her to abort, and depositing with intent to cause her to abort.
Today, he was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison at the high court in Glasgow.
Sentencing, judge Lord Colbeck said: 'You put her through considerable pain over a number of days, and left her facing a lifetime of pain and loss.'
He also said Doohan caused 'long-term psychological injury' to his victim.
The court heard that Doohan convinced the woman to lie to medics at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary because he thought he would be arrested if she told the truth.
The victim attended another regional hospital with her sister and was told that she was having a miscarriage. The court heard that in May 2023, the woman complained to the Scottish Ambulance Service, which launched an investigation.
It revealed that on March 14, the day the woman told Doohan she was pregnant, he used a work intranet to search for abortion drugs, and the police were then called in.
The court heard that the crimes occurred over 48 hours, at Doohan's flat in Edinburgh. Lord Colbeck said that Doohan had told the victim that he did not want children, but she later became pregnant.
The judge said: 'She took some diazepam and went into a deep sleep, and felt you initiating sexual contact. She felt you inserting something hard from under the mattress. She was suspicious of your actions.
'When you went to the bathroom, she took the opportunity to look under the mattress.'
The woman found some tablets hidden under the mattress, the court heard. Lord Colbeck added: 'The complainer then carried out an internet search for abortion tablets and confronted you over your actions.'
The court heard that Doohan 'rehearsed what she was to say' before they attended hospital in Edinburgh due to stomach cramps on March 18, and the day after, she attended a regional hospital with her sister so she could 'disclose' what had happened, but was told she was having a miscarriage.
Lord Colbeck said: 'You planned out what you did to your victim using resources available to you as a paramedic.'
Defending, Mark Stewart KC, said: 'I express Mr Doohan's deep sorrow and regret for the actions he is now in the court charged with. His position is that he is filled with remorse for the harm he has caused, and the breach of trust his actions represented.'
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