Doncaster paramedic Julian Maher caught with nearly 800 child abuse images

A paramedic has been struck off after he was caught with nearly 800 child abuse images.Julian Maher, 55, from Doncaster, was handed a suspended 10-month prison sentence in February this year after he pleaded guilty at Sheffield Crown Court to making and possessing indecent images. Some of the images were of the most serious kind.

He was also given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order for ten years.

Following a hearing by the Health and Care Professions Tribunal Service (HCPTS) Maher, who worked for Yorkshire Ambulance Service, was also struck off.

A panel was told Maher's offences dated from 2005 to 2017, but only came to light in 2017.The tribunal also heard that Maher attempted to blame his offences on another person, before pleading guilty at trial.

The panel found he showed "no evidence of insight, remorse or remediation".

It said: "Given the long period of the offending behaviour and the lack of any remediation, there was a significant risk of repetition and of future harm. A conviction for the offences of making or possessing indecent photographs of children is an extremely serious matter, as ultimately it involves the exploitation and abuse of vulnerable children.""These offences are not victimless crimes: they involve the abuse and exploitation of vulnerable children and perpetuate the market for illegal indecent material. Members of the public would be horrified to learn that that a practising paramedic with access to vulnerable patients held a such a conviction and that public confidence in the profession, and in the HCPC as its regulator, would be undermined."

It said: "Only a striking off order would be sufficient to protect the public, to maintain public confidence in the profession."

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