In an extreme and shocking case that has shocked people all over, a 33-year-old Scottish paramedic was last week jailed to more than 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to secretly administering an abortion drug to a woman who was pregnant with his baby.
Trained emergency responder and husband, Stephen Doohan, received a 10-year and 6-month sentence at Glasgow High Court on Monday, July 7, after he pleaded guilty to a battery of harsh charges, among them assault to injury and sexual assault, as well as procuring abortion without consent.
The scandalous case was the result of a two-year-long investigation and trial, which led to the understanding of how Doohan not only broke the law but also broke the trust and the body of a woman who believed she was in a serious relationship with him.
A Romance Missed
Doohan is accused of raping the victim after they met during a vacation in Ibiza in 2021, according to the court documents. This started as a summer fling yet soon blossomed into a long distance relationship across two countries. The lady was unaware about the marital status of the Doohan, and this lasted for some time.
READ ALSO: LAPD Issues Peacekeeping Orders for ICE Arrests Amid Growing Tensions
One day he finally told the truth about his marital status yet the relationship went on. The woman knew she was pregnant on March 14, 2023. She desired to tell Doohan the news and went to Edinburgh, a few days afterwards, to visit him. The two settled on keeping the baby after discussing the matter, as the judge stated in his official sentencing comments.
Yet what happened next no one could have ever predicted.
A diabolical scheme is carried into effect
The woman grew to feel that something was wrong when she was staying with Doohan. On one night, when she was having sex, she complained of feeling something hard being inserted into her vagina and the following day; she saw some white secretion coming out of her body. When she consulted with Doohan, he told her that there was nothing to worry about, all it was was vaginal discharge.
However that was not to be the end of her nightmare.
She had later in the night swallowed diazepam-a drug Doohan had given her, and slept soundly. She woke up to see him attempting sex once more and once again felt something being inserted in her. In the morning she made a horrifying discovery: syringes with crushed tablets under the mattress, and white pills scattered around.
The Reality Erupts
Later, Doohan would confess that she had attempted to cause a miscarriage behind his back. He even Googled how to cause an abortion in his phone, something the woman detected soon afterwards. When she approached him, he even asked her to tell lies about what took place in case they visited the hospital.
This woman later diagnosed with a miscarriage, and one day on March 19, 2023, doctors told her she lost the baby.
The woman thus complained to the employer of Doohan a few months later in May 2023 to the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS). Internal inquiries confirmed her tale: Doohan had logged into his work machines to look into abortion medication on the same day that she had told him about her pregnancy.
Life Sentence of Evil
The presiding judge, Lord Colbeck did not spare in sentencing. The pain the woman went through he termed as considerable, both physically and psychologically.
You have confessed of causing your victim to abort. By so doing, you have subjected her to a lot of pain during several days and have left her with a life of pain and deprivation,” Colbeck said.
He called the testimony of the victim raw and heart-wrenching, stating that the trauma must have stayed a lifetime. He continued: Anybody reading that statement could not but be moved by its terms.
The court accepted not only the treason but also the emotional scars left behind such an experience. Prosecutors pointed out that the woman was influenced, both mentally and physically, by the acts of Doohan, and she was considerably impacted by them.
Pain Is There, Even Justice Served
After his arrest, Doohan was suspended as a paramedic. In response the Scottish ambulance service have confirmed he no longer works with them and said they acted straight away to protect the public and assisted police Scotland in their investigation.
Although Doohan himself says that he is “deeply sorry” of his actions, but this apology is not of much use since the damage is already done.
READ ALSO: Trump’s Tariff Countdown: Who Gets a Deal and Who Gets a Bill?
The case has resulted in a rampage of resentment in the entire Scotland and even more, with many demanding greater protection and responsibility of professional medical work particularly to the right to use drugs such as abortion pills.
A Haunting Warning
With the victim now on a long journey to healing, this case is a chilling reminder of the ugly paths personal relationships can descend towards, and how individuals in positions of trust, even in the sector of healthcare, can exploit that privilege.
Although the legal justice has been carried out, the trauma caused cannot be reversed. And to many this tale will ever be a ghostly reminder of treachery, sadism and the dark veil that a single deception can leave.
About The Author
