An 'idiotic' drink-driving paramedic jailed for killing a cyclist after downing 10 pints of Guinness has escaped being struck off.
Robert Woodruff has been allowed to keep his medical licence despite recklessly getting behind the wheel to gatecrash a female colleague's barbecue while off duty, killing Richard Goodwin, 56.
Veteran NHS paramedic Woodruff had been looking at his phone when he veered across the wrong side of the road and slammed into the father-of-five, in a 'catastrophic' collision.
Last year Woodruff, of Withernsea, East Yorkshire - who was then 36, was jailed for five years and four months, with a judge slamming him for causing 'unimaginable grief' to Mr Goodwin's family.
But now, at a Health and Care Professions Tribunal, a panel has allowed him to keep his licence - suspending him for 12 months rather than striking him off, meaning Woodruff could return as a medic after serving his prison sentence.
Although admitted he never wanted to return as a frontline paramedic, Woodruff does hope to take on a 'health and safety role in the offshore industry', when released from jail.profession and [its regulator].
The HCPTS panel said it is not their job to 'punish' and that before the incident he 'dedicated his life to saving lives and not to wrecking them'.
Woodruff, from Yorkshire Ambulance Service, had been out drinking during the day on June 26, 2021, in Withernsea and downed 10 pints of Guinness.
During the evening, he decided to go to a barbecue at the home of a female paramedic despite not being invited and defied his wife's pleas not to get in a car, in what was described in court as a 'monumental lapse of judgement'.
In a 'totally unfit state' he then tried to drive his Nissan the seven miles and was in a 'hurry' so 'aggressively' tailgated another car as he tore down the road at dangerous speeds.
Mr Goodwin, a property developer, was dressed correctly and cycling correctly on the other side of the road and is thought to have died instantly when Woodruff ploughed into him.
The 56-year-old was carried about 230ft on the bonnet of the car before his horrifically injured body was found in undergrowth. He died at the scene.
A roadside breath test subsequently revealed Woodruff was more than double the drink drive limit, having earlier ignored requests from his wife not to drive home.
When Woodruff was jailed, it was heard 'the effects of that collision were catastrophic in their brutality' and Mr Goodwin suffered 'traumatic and catastrophic injuries'.
As well as being jailed, Woodruff was banned from driving for seven years and eight months.
At his latest HCPTS disciplinary hearing, Woodruff said he was 'not providing a defence to anything he had done' but said he was 'passionate about helping and caring for the public'.
A tribunal report said: 'He said he believed in rehabilitation and allowing people another chance and that he had support from family, friends and the local community, who are keen for him to keep his registration as a paramedic.
'He said that his references show that he is an excellent paramedic, as was supported by the Judge's sentencing remarks.
'He referred to his [barrister's] comment about how he has "dedicated his life to saving lives and not wrecking them".
'He said the criminal charge was not a true reflection of who he is as a person and as a professional.'
Woodruff said: '[I am] sincerely remorseful for everything I have done and the wider impact it has, on the family and also the public and everyone I served for.'
Concluding, the panel said: 'The offence of causing death by dangerous driving is very serious. The outcome all too painfully obvious.'
The panel decided to suspend him for 12 months rather than strike him off. The panel said: 'There is no doubting the seriousness of the conviction in this case. However, as referred to above, it is not this panel's role to punish Woodruff for a second time, but rather to ensure public confidence is maintained in the paramedic
'It is clear that his appalling behaviour must be marked so as to send out a message to him, the profession and the public about how seriously the panel views this conduct.
'However, in light of the specific circumstances of this case and the mitigation provided, the panel did not consider his conduct to be fundamentally incompatible with continued registration.
'He had demonstrated significant insight and was clearly willing, and had taken active steps to, resolve matters.
'Although it would be some time before he had completed his prison sentence, and thus be in a position to resume his practice, the panel did not consider it necessary to remove him from the Register.'
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12218487/Drink-driving-paramedic-jailed-killing-cyclist-downing-10-pints-escapes-struck-off.html
Ontheromanwall, Rome, United Kingdom, about 4 hours ago
Absolutely incredible that a convicted killer will be out in two and a half years and the treating patients!!! Only in broken Britain.
QUOTE: Although admitted he never wanted to return as a frontline
paramedic, Woodruff does hope to take on a 'health and safety role in the offshore industry', when released from jail. ENDS
Hopefully he will fall into the North Sea and do us all a favour.
Ontheromanwall, Rome, United Kingdom, about 4 hours ago
Absolutely incredible that a convicted killer will be out in two and a half years and the treating patients!!! Only in broken Britain.
QUOTE: Although admitted he never wanted to return as a frontline paramedic, Woodruff does hope to take on a 'health and safety role in the offshore industry', when released from jail. ENDS
Hopefully he will fall into the North Sea and do us all a favour.
On Wednesday, June 21, 2023 at 5:46:41 PM UTC+1, Simon Mason wrote:
QUOTE: Although admitted he never wanted to return as a frontline
paramedic, Woodruff does hope to take on a 'health and safety role in
the offshore industry', when released from jail. ENDS
Hopefully he will fall into the North Sea and do us all a favour.
MAYBE I WAS A LITTLE LENIENT!
dubwise | 95 posts | 21 min ago
0 likes
Other people have lost their jobs for far less crimes.
This scumbag should never be allowed to continue in this profession.
I hope Woodruff dies a slow agonising death.
QUOTE: Although admitted he never wanted to return as a frontline paramedic, Woodruff does hope to take on a 'health and safety role in the offshore industry', when released from jail. ENDS
Hopefully he will fall into the North Sea and do us all a favour.
chrisonatrike | 5857 posts | 3 min agoOh, now he can practice again we must let the medics travel to save lives / reach patients!".
0 likes
I'm not sure whether he should practice again but surely we should give serious consideration to him never driving again?
Unfortunately that sets up a familiar dilemma. He's clearly behaved in a way pretty incompatible with due care for others. Incredibly selfishly and FWIW as a 36-year old - he's not 16. But comes the cry "but we need doctors!" Shortly followed by "
Currently I struggle imagine society / the law getting their heads round "you have a high-status responsible job" with "...but you're not allowed to drive".
Note: social status / job status is important here. Consider - would we really give e.g. a carer this kind of latitude? Yet they can be doing life-critical work.
On Wednesday, June 21, 2023 at 5:46:41 PM UTC+1, Simon Mason wrote:
QUOTE: Although admitted he never wanted to return as a frontline paramedic, Woodruff does hope to take on a 'health and safety role in the offshore industry', when released from jail. ENDS
Hopefully he will fall into the North Sea and do us all a favour.
MAYBE I WAS A LITTLE LENIENT!
dubwise | 95 posts | 21 min ago
0 likes
Other people have lost their jobs for far less crimes.
This scumbag should never be allowed to continue in this profession.
I hope Woodruff dies a slow agonising death.
muhasib | 239 posts | 5 hours ago
0 likes
The only way I would wish this individual to contribute to society as a paramedic again would be as a cycle responder; could the Tribunal have recommended this as the sole outcome to keeping his registration and
indeed encourage Mr Woodruff to pursue as a practical demonstration of rehabilitation being more than just his platitudes spoken to the Tribunal?
EraserBike | 13 posts | 1 hour ago
1 like
Common theme in a lot of these stories is a Judge who seems like they're passing a sentence reluctantly and talk about how the killer is a really great guy who just had a bad day. No. This man probably drove drunk
regularly and in the end he killed someone. Should be done for
manslaughter and put away for a much longer time, never allowed to drive again and certainly not given a chance for a respected career. Judges in
this country are a sick joke.
muhasib | 239 posts | 5 hours ago
0 likes
The only way I would wish this individual to contribute to society as a paramedic again would be as a cycle responder;
could the Tribunal have recommended this as the sole outcome to keeping his registration and indeed encourage Mr Woodruff to pursue as a practical demonstration of rehabilitation being more than just his platitudes spoken to the Tribunal?
He killed somone, while the sentence is significant at five years (in comparison to the usual slap on the wrist).. he should NEVER be allowed
to hold a driving licence again. Owning a licence to drive a motor
vehicle is a privilege not a right.
The panel ... said pre-incident Woodruff had "dedicated his life to saving lives and not to wrecking them".
So did Harold Shipman (presumably).
EraserBike | 13 posts | 1 hour agosomeone. Should be done for manslaughter and put away for a much longer time, never allowed to drive again and certainly not given a chance for a respected career. Judges in this country are a sick joke.
1 like
Common theme in a lot of these stories is a Judge who seems like they're passing a sentence reluctantly and talk about how the killer is a really great guy who just had a bad day. No. This man probably drove drunk regularly and in the end he killed
Agreed. There's no reason why rehabilitation can't work for all but a
tiny number, provided the resources are available.
However, like millions of others, he can still contribute to society
without ever having a driving licence again. Lifetime ban please.
And I'd like to see him make a public information video about the life he ended and the consequences both for him and for the victim's family. It should be shown to every driver found to have been dicking about with a
phone while driving (and their phone to be smashed to pieces).
Agreed. There's no reason why rehabilitation can't work for all but a tiny number, provided the resources are available.
However, like millions of others, he can still contribute to society without ever having a driving licence again. Lifetime ban please.
And I'd like to see him make a public information video about the life he ended and the consequences both for him and for the victim's family. It should be shown to every driver found to have been dicking about with a phone while driving (and theirphone to be smashed to pieces).
QUOTE: every driver found to have been dicking about with a phone while driving (and their phone to be smashed to pieces). ENDS
That's a driver's trick when they try and destroy evidence - usually in vain.
On Thursday, June 22, 2023 at 5:36:12 PM UTC+1, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
QUOTE: every driver found to have been dicking about with a phone while driving (and their phone to be smashed to pieces). ENDS
That's a driver's trick when they try and destroy evidence - usually in vain.The last one who tried it - the phone was reconstructed and the driver convicted.
A lorry driver who ploughed into a broken-down car killing three people moments after watching a seven-minute Ladbible video and while typing on
a sat-nav app on his mobile phone has been jailed for 12 years.
Michal Kopaniarz previously pleaded guilty to three charges of causing
death by dangerous driving in connection with the four-vehicle crash on
the A303 near Andover, Hampshire, on August 25, 2021.
The 39-year-old also admitted perverting the course of justice by
breaking the Samsung mobile phone he had been using.
University graduate Alex Britton, 28, food delivery driver Tina Ince, 58,
and recovery driver Tom Watson, 30, died of “catastrophic injuries”.
Simon Jones, prosecuting, told Winchester Crown Court that Ms Britton’s Vauxhall Astra had broken down and Ms Ince, from Southampton, had stopped
in her Mercedes Sprinter food delivery van to help her.
Recovery driver Mr Watson also stopped when he saw the stationary
vehicles still partly in the carriageway.
He was about to winch the Astra on to his recovery vehicle when the defendant’s HGV, travelling at 56mph, ploughed into the rear of the food van which had its hazard lights on.
This shunted the Mercedes into the Astra killing the three victims who
were stood between the vehicles, Mr Jones said.
The prosecutor said that Kopaniarz had watched a seven minute-long
Ladbible video from Facebook on his phone which he had gone on to share
with a woman on Facebook Messenger 42 seconds prior to the collision.
And at the point of impact, the defendant had been typing the destination
for his journey, a Co-op water bottle depot in Andover, into a mapping app.
The defendant continued driving at 56mph when the collision happened and
he only applied emergency braking at about 0.2 to 0.5 seconds or nine to
12 metres before impact despite having a clear view of the vehicles for 170m.
The court was shown dash-cam footage from Kopaniarz’s lorry as it drove towards the halted traffic and failed to slow down before the collision.
Following the crash, Kopaniarz was captured on dash-cam footage snapping
his Samsung phone into two pieces which police later rebuilt to obtain the data from it.
swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
Disgusting !! Wtf is this country coming to ?? Taking a life whilst
Drink driving should be classed as MURDER.
23 min ago
Said that for a long time. You should be made to sign a declaration when
passing your test that drink driving and dangerous driving you pay with
a proper sentence.
What’s your take on giving drunken killer cyclists proper sentences?
Disgusting !! Wtf is this country coming to ?? Taking a life whilst
Drink driving should be classed as MURDER.
23 min ago
Said that for a long time. You should be made to sign a declaration when passing your test that drink driving and dangerous driving you pay with a proper sentence.
Let's work this out 5 years 4 month for murder?
MMM?
Half that? 2 years 8 months Big MMM?.
Deffo got tagging as in a cat D prison?
That's means probably done about 20 months prison for murder??
But the guy 5 kids all got life sentence? Because got no dad now. And Mr murderer
off bk work as if nothing happened . He drunk 10 pints because was stressed out? Don't no what this silly country coming too?
All because he wanted to go see his mistress, 2 families suffering here and he gets the option to go back to work as normal, but how can he do that with no driving licence and a criminal record that should be classed as murder
Let's work this out 5 years 4 month for murder? MMM? Half that? 2 years 8 months Big MMM?. Deffo got tagging as in a cat D prison? That's means probably done about 20 months prison for murder?? But the guy 5 kids all got life sentence? Because got nodad now. And Mr murderer off bk work as if nothing happened . He drunk 10 pints because was stressed out? Don't no what this silly country coming too?
All because he wanted to go see his mistress, 2 families suffering here and he gets the option to go back to work as normal, but how can he do that with no driving licence and a criminal record that should be classed as murder
On Friday, 23 June 2023 at 06:38:50 UTC+1, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:dad now. And Mr murderer off bk work as if nothing happened . He drunk 10 pints because was stressed out? Don't no what this silly country coming too?
Let's work this out 5 years 4 month for murder? MMM? Half that? 2 years 8 months Big MMM?. Deffo got tagging as in a cat D prison? That's means probably done about 20 months prison for murder?? But the guy 5 kids all got life sentence? Because got no
All because he wanted to go see his mistress, 2 families suffering here and he gets the option to go back to work as normal, but how can he do that with no driving licence and a criminal record that should be classed as murder
He was clocked at 100mph by the crash investigators - while pissed up.
On Friday, 23 June 2023 at 06:38:50 UTC+1, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:dad now. And Mr murderer off bk work as if nothing happened . He drunk 10 pints because was stressed out? Don't no what this silly country coming too?
Let's work this out 5 years 4 month for murder? MMM? Half that? 2 years 8 months Big MMM?. Deffo got tagging as in a cat D prison? That's means probably done about 20 months prison for murder?? But the guy 5 kids all got life sentence? Because got no
All because he wanted to go see his mistress, 2 families suffering here and he gets the option to go back to work as normal, but how can he do that with no driving licence and a criminal record that should be classed as murderHe was clocked at 100mph by the crash investigators - while pissed up.
| Sysop: | Keyop |
|---|---|
| Location: | Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK |
| Users: | 546 |
| Nodes: | 16 (2 / 14) |
| Uptime: | 40:08:55 |
| Calls: | 10,392 |
| Files: | 14,064 |
| Messages: | 6,417,203 |