Ambulance driver, 23, is spared jail and a driving ban after killing a man riding a mobility scooter on a pedestrian crossing as judge tells him he is an ‘exceptional individual’

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Angus McCulloch, 23, has been spared jail and a driving ban after he killed Adrian Hesford, who was on a mobility scooter, at a pedestrian crossing in Oxford last year

An ambulance driver who killed a man on a mobility scooter at a pedestrian crossing has been spared jail after a judge told him he was an 'exceptional individual.'  

Angus McCulloch, 23, had been driving on blue lights responding to an emergency on the Oxford ring road on August 10 last year when he crashed into Adrian Hesford.

Mr Hesford, 64, crossed when the light was green for him and was hit, despite the efforts of a bystander to grab the handle bars of his scooter and hold him back. 

The victim's brother Anthony Hesford told the court he did not blame the ambulance driver for the crash, which he described as an accident.  

It was also revealed that McCulloch had not slowed down from his speed of over 30mph as he approached the crossing's red light, in breach of the South Central Ambulance Service's policy.

Despite the mistake, a judge told him he would not face jail or even receive a driving ban, instead being handed a one-year community order with 180 hours unpaid work.

Judge Ian Pringle told McCulloch: 'I know that this incident will live with you for the rest of your life but I have taken this exceptional course because I think you are an exceptional individual.'

McCulloch, who has now qualified as a paramedic, did now slow down from his speed of over 30mph as he approached the crossing's red light, which was in breach of the South Central Ambulance Service's policy (file picture)

The court heard how McCulloch had been travelling down a busy stretch of the A415 Stratton Way in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, when he hit Mr Hesford, who lived locally.

William Eaglestone, prosecuting said: 'On August 10 last year, Mr McCulloch and his ambulance partner Amy Hodge were called to attend a red incident, certainly a high priority incident.

'Mr McCulloch had ambulance blue lights on and siren initially set to 'wail', a long-distance sound. As they came to Stratton Way, a busy road, he set it to 'yelp', a setting to alert pedestrians.'

As McCulloch's white Mercedes Sprinter S19 ambulance straddled both lanes, he failed to notice Mr Hesford crossing the road as his view was obscured by a blue transit van pulled over in the left hand lane.

Mr Eaglestone said: 'As Mr Hesford went into the road, other members of the public were getting out of the way of the ambulance and a lady, whose name was Susan Beach, can be seen in the CCTV stills reaching out to the handle bars of the mobility scooter, attempting to stop Mr Hesford.

'What the CCTV shows is the ambulance driving into the outside lane, into the oncoming traffic, at approximately 34 mph and does not appear to slow at all as it comes to the red light.

Mr Hesford was hit on the A415 Stratton Way in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, pictured, on August 10 2018. His brother Anthony Hesford said he didn't blame McCulloch for the 'terrible accident'

'By the time Mr McCulloch sees Mr Hesford it is simply too late and he goes straight into him. Mr Hesford was knocked off the mobility scooter and died from multiple injuries, mostly it seems to his head.'

McCulloch stopped his ambulance at the scene and performed emergency aid on Mr Hesford, who was transported to the John Radcliffe Hospital after the crash but later died from his injuries. His brother, Anthony Hesford, was at his side.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Mr Hesford said: 'Despite having mobility and health issues and financially he did not have a lot, he still thought about others and regularly gave to charity.'

'From the outset of the police investigation and being told what had happened, I always felt that it was a terrible accident and I do not blame the ambulance driver.

'I believe that the ambulance driver made an error but he did not set out that day to injure anyone. I do not blame anyone, it is just a terrible accident.'

Judge Pringle said: 'I give all credit to Anthony Hesford that he takes such a generous and human view of this tragic accident.'

The prosecutor told the court how ambulance crews were trained to treat a red light as a stop or give way signal even if they are responding to an emergency.

He also explained how they should slow down to 10mph and not attempt to breach the red signal unless they are absolutely certain nobody is crossing.

Mr Eaglestone added: 'Mr McCulloch was a professional, trained driver. He had been working for a year and was only aged 22 years at the time. By his plea he recognised that he should have driven more carefully at that traffic light.' 

Defending McCulloch, Nick Smith told how the defendant had continued training to be a paramedic, following the crash and had qualified with a distinction.

Mr Smith told the judge: 'If only he could turn the clock back, he would. He genuinely believed that the pedestrian crossing was clear. He thought that from all the reactions from everybody around the pedestrian crossing.

'He is so sorry to have done the opposite of what he has trained to and effectively what he has dedicated his teenage and adult life to - that is, saving lives. But it happened.'

McCulloch admitted causing death by careless driving as an alternative to an initial charge of causing death by dangerous driving, which the prosecution offered no evidence on.

Judge Pringle told him: 'We will never know the reasons why Mr Hesford proceeded to travel over the road but it may simply be because he saw a green light for pedestrians and thought he had the right to simply cross over. 

'The consequent result was a fatal collision. On any viewing, this was a truly tragic accident.

'He [McCulloch], at a young age, dedicated his life to become an ambulanceman, there to serve the public and there to try to save life. Indeed, subsequent to this terrible accident in August last year, he has taken his paramedic qualifications and passed with flying colours.

'I can take an exceptional course in Mr McCulloch's case and not pass a sentence of imprisonment either immediate or suspended.

'I am influenced by Mr Hesford's brother, who talks of his admiration for the ambulance service and that this was truly a tragic accident. 

'It is perhaps notable that one of the charities that the deceased Mr Adrian Hesford gave to was the Air Ambulance service.

'There are also special reasons that I do not have to pass a sentence of immediate disqualification from driving.'