Paramedic caught with hundreds of indecent images of children is struck off

Julian Maher, from Doncaster, was given a 10-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, in February and ordered to complete 40 days of rehabilitation and 200 hours of unpaid work, after he pleaded guilty to four offences.

He was caught with 787 indecent images, including 132 that fall into the most serious category.

A Health & Care Professions Tribunal Service (HCPTS) panel has reviewed the case and decided he should be struck off.

The panel stated he had “a long-standing interest in indecent images”, as he committed the offences over 12 years, and he has shown no remorse, so there is a risk of reoffending.

It also said he has brought the profession into disrepute as people “would be horrified to learn that a practising paramedic with access to vulnerable patients held such a conviction”.

Maher had worked for Yorkshire Ambulance Service since 2004, but there is no evidence to suggest he ever viewed the images at work.

The panel’s report stated: “The insight shown by (Maher) was minimal.

“He ultimately pleaded guilty at his criminal trial but prior to that, during the period of the police investigation, he had maintained a denial and had actively put forward a defence which sought to blame another person for the criminal behaviour, incurring additional costs and time in the criminal proceedings.”

It added: “The panel further concluded that (Maher) showed no insight or understanding of the impact of his criminal behaviour; that these offences are not victimless crimes: they involve the abuse and exploitation of vulnerable children and perpetuate the market for illegal indecent material.

“In the light of these circumstances, the absence of any significant insight and the indication of a long-standing interest in indecent images of children, the panel considered there remained a risk of future repetition.”