Surgeon’s inattention caused fatal collision

● Woman killed in head-on crash after medic’s car drifted across carriageway

A surgeon’s lapse in attention at the wheel of his car on a Midlothian road resulted in a head-on collision in which a female motorist died.

Alexander Mcauslan’s Landrover Discovery Sport was seen “drifting across” into the oncoming lane before crashing with a Ford Fiesta driven by Rodica Pamphilon on 5 August, 2016.

Romanian-born Mrs Pamphilon, 46, died after sustaining head and chest injuries in the crash on the A68 Edinburgh to Lauder road near Fordel Mains.

Mcauslan, 65, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon, was also injured. He later told police while in hospital: “I don’t know what happened. I may have fallen asleep.”

He was originally charged with causing the death of Mrs Pamphilon, from Ormiston in East Lothian, by driving dangerously and falling asleep.

But yesterday at the High Court in Edinburgh, he pled guilty to the lesser offence of causing death by careless driving after the Crown amended the charge and deleted the allegation he had fallen asleep.

Mcauslan, from Dalkeith in Midlothian, admitted driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for others, failing to pay proper attention to the road in front of him, crossing onto the opposing carriageway and colliding with the Fiesta.

Advocate depute Owen Mullan said the surgeon was driving north in daylight in conditions of good visibility.

One couple who were travelling behind, Gordon and Rossalyn Ford, described his driving as “entirely normal” and within the speed limit.

Mr Mullan said: “On approaching the Fordel Mains junction northbound, the accused’s vehicle failed to negotiate the slight uphill lefthand bend and crossed the central line onto the opposing carriageway before colliding head on with the southbound Ford Fiesta driven by the deceased.”

Both vehicles spun following the collision and the Fiesta suffered “catastrophic” damage to its front offside, Mr Mullan said. The prosecutor said Mcauslan’s inattention appeared to have lasted a few seconds before the collision.

He was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary with injuries to his head, chest and legs, including broken ribs and a broken ankle.

Mr Mullan said Mrs Pamphilon held dual citizenship after moving to the UK and studying for a masters degree in Edinburgh. She later worked as a teacher, interpreter and translator.

Defence counsel Euan Dow: “The accused acknowledges and recognises the impact his conduct has had on the deceased’s family and has repeatedly expressed his remorse for his conduct and the consequences of it.

“As far as the explanation for why he was inattentive for those seconds, there is simply a gap as to why that took place.”

Mr Dow said Mcauslan was working that day at Borders General Hospital, but on a relatively short shift.

Judge Lord Burns deferred sentence on Mcauslan for the preparation of a background report and continued his bail.