Sick paramedic secretly caused miscarriage by givin abortion drug to pregnant woman

A paramedic has been found guilty of secretly administering an abortion drug to a pregnant woman, resulting in the tragic loss of her unborn child.

Stephen Doohan, 33, hatched this horrifying plan after the woman revealed she was carrying his baby. At the time, Doohan, a Clinical Team Leader with the Scottish Ambulance Service, was married.

In a chilling act, he crushed pills into a syringe and administered the medication while the woman lay on a bed at his residence in Edinburgh's affluent Grange area in 2023.

Doohan gave her more of the drug days later, which led to her falling ill, including fainting episodes in the shower. It was later discovered that she had tragically lost the baby due to Doohan's actions.

He pleaded with her not to report him to the police and even attempted to bribe her into silence with gifts, reports

However, she eventually reported him to the Scottish Ambulance Service after recording a conversation in which he effectively confessed to his crime.

Doohan was arrested and today, a judge at the High Court in Glasgow warned him that he faces a lengthy prison sentence after admitting his guilt. His sentencing is scheduled for next month.

Doohan first met the woman while holidaying in Spain in 2021. He did not disclose his marital status, and they continued to stay in touch.

In March 2023, she discovered she was pregnant with his child.

By then, Doohan had temporarily separated from his wife and was residing in a flat in Edinburgh. Shortly thereafter, Doohan and the woman engaged in consensual sexual activity.

She was unaware of his next actions, which involved the syringe, and at that moment, she didn't suspect anything untoward.

However, the following day, the woman started experiencing severe stomach cramps. Doohan gave her diazepam to alleviate the pain when they were back at his flat.

The court was told that she fell into a deep sleep but was awoken by Doohan initiating intimate contact. This time, she was suspicious of his actions but was also under the influence of the diazepam.

When Doohan went to the bathroom, the woman seized the opportunity to investigate further.

Prosecutor Scott McKenzie explained: "She found a plastic syringe containing crushed tablets which had been pushed to the end of the syringe.

"Next to the syringe were two white tablets that were in the shape of a star."

The woman immediately searched online for "abortion tablet". Mr McKenzie: "The search returned images that matched the tablet the woman had found."

Initially, Doohan denied any wrongdoing before breaking down in tears, claiming he was "scared."

He also stated that he had obtained the tablets from a doctor but insisted they wouldn't be effective on the woman due to the incorrect dosage.

The distraught expectant mother contacted a friend, who advised her to report the incident to the police. Nevertheless, she initially expressed concerns about Doohan's well-being, stating that she didn't want to "ruin" him if she was okay.

However, her friend urged her to take action, and the woman ultimately decided to report the incident to the authorities. However, she managed to record a subsequent conversation in which he admitted to the intimate insertion of the syringe, but claimed he "could not go through with it".

He did concede that "fragments" of the drug might have entered her system.

She also found out that he had been researching abortion online. She attempted to retain the tablets and syringe as evidence, but they were nowhere to be found after she used the bathroom.

On 18 March 2023, due to persistent pain, she was compelled to visit the hospital. Doohan accompanied her, pleading that if she "told the truth", he would be arrested.

Instead, she was to assert that the pills were obtained from "a friend of a friend".

Mr McKenzie stated: "Before speaking to medical staff, the woman and Doohan rehearsed what she was going to say.

"The midwife recalled her being distressed and concerned about the baby. Doohan appeared quiet and expressionless."

The following day, she collapsed in the shower and had to return to the hospital. This time, she insisted on excluding Doohan from the examination room.

Shortly thereafter, it was revealed that she had suffered a miscarriage.

In a sickening turn of events, Doohan then lavished her with various gifts including perfume, socks, money for a hair makeover, and football tickets in an attempt to silence her.

Mr McKenzie added: "He made reference to her not reporting him to the police before telling her: 'If they want to come and arrest me, I am in St John's Hospital in Livingston'."

Her last interaction with Doohan occurred in late June 2023.

The woman initially filed a formal grievance with the Scottish Ambulance Service, providing screenshots of messages and an audio recording she had made. The evidence was swiftly forwarded to the authorities.

Mr McKenzie disclosed: "Doohan discovered that she had made the complaint and asked that she send over the details of what she submitted."

Investigations revealed that Doohan had sought out medical information on the drug misoprostol on the very day the woman informed him of her pregnancy.

The court was informed that misoprostol can be "administered for the purpose of managing a miscarriage or inducing a termination of pregnancy".

Mr McKenzie noted the woman has been "significantly affected" by the traumatic events.

Doohan, currently residing in Kirkliston, close to Edinburgh, admitted his guilt today regarding charges of assault, sexual assault, and causing the woman to undergo an abortion.

He was accused of pilfering misoprostol from the Scottish Ambulance Service in Edinburgh, but his plea of not guilty was accepted.

Mark Stewart KC, representing Doohan, expressed his client's "deep sorrow" over his actions.

The defence counsel mentioned that Doohan was grappling with personal issues at the time which impaired his "judgement and decision making", though this did not justify his conduct.

Mr Stewart requested that Lord Matthews consider the "exceptional course" of extending bail, as Doohan was scheduled for additional mental health evaluations.

The judge decided against immediate imprisonment for Doohan, but warned: "You have pled guilty to an appalling offence. There will be no alternative to a custodial sentence and, I must say, a fairly lengthy one."

Doohan was also added to the sex offenders register.