Paramedic who killed cyclist in horrific crash in East Yorkshire after downing 10 pints of Guinness jailed

Robert Woodruff, 36, who was also a trained emergency response driver, had drunk around ten pints of Guinness when he decided to go to a house party seven miles away on June 26 2021.

Woodruff, from Withernsea, ignoring his wife's pleas and evading her attempts to stop him, walked round the corner to where their car was parked, and drove away at around 8.45pm.

Cyclist Richard Goodwin, 56, who was correctly attired and clearly visible, was cycling home along the A1033. He had been to a friend’s barbeque in the village of Coniston.

Woodruff was travelling at about 60mph in the opposite direction in a Nissan Juke.

Between the villages of Ottringham and Patrington, he was witnessed driving dangerously close to the car ahead of him, leaving only an estimated half a second gap between the two vehicles.

He tried to overtake, narrowly avoided hitting an oncoming vehicle, swerved and hit Mr Goodwin on his bicycle, killing him instantly.

Woodruff's car travelled down a verge, travelling over a ditch and hurtling through trees and undergrowth, before coming to rest in the front garden of a nearby cottage, 100 meters away.

Nearly three hours later in hospital, Woodruff’s blood alcohol level was still twice the drink-drive limit.

Woodruff pleaded guilty to causing Mr Goodwin's death by dangerous driving.

At Hull Crown Court on Wednesday he was sentenced to five years four months, disqualified from driving for five years extended by two years eight months and ordered to take an extended re-test.

Jeremy Evans from the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Words cannot adequately describe the absolute devastation and heartbreak this defendant has caused to the Goodwin family.

"Woodruff was a serving paramedic and a trained emergency response driver. His unbelievably reckless actions that day are completely beyond comprehension.

"Equally, it is hard to imagine a more complete betrayal of the values of his profession as a paramedic.

"Our hearts go out to the whole of the Goodwin family, and we hope that the sentence Woodruff is beginning today will be of some comfort to them in the months and years ahead.

"Our thoughts remain with them.”