Ambulance driver pleads guilty over death of patient after A470 crash

A driver has admitted causing the death of a patient he was carrying in his non-emergency ambulance. Emrys Wyn Roberts was involved in a road collision with a council lorry two years ago. He had been taking patient Janet Elizabeth Winspear, 76, of Tywyn, to Dolgellau Hospital for treatment when she died following the smash on the A470 near Dolgellau on April 8, 2021.

Mrs Winspear, originally from Surrey, was then transferred to another ambulance with the intention of taking her to Ysbyty Gwynedd[1] in Bangor[2], but she sadly died from her injuries en route. The 61-year-old ambulance driver, of Llys Adda, Bangor[4], had denied causing her death by careless driving but today he entered a guilty plea at Caernarfon[5] Crown Court. He will be sentenced next month.

The judge Her Honour Nicola Saffman said he could be sent to prison but ordered a pre-sentence report to be prepared before sentencing Roberts next month. She disqualified him from driving in the meantime. An inquest opening found that Mrs Winspear, a former call taker for the fire service, had been on her way to Dolgellau[6] Hospital when the non-emergency ambulance she was in was involved in a collision.

A pathologist gave a provisional cause of death for Mrs Winspear of chest trauma.

References

1. ^ Ysbyty Gwynedd (www.dailypost.co.uk)
2. ^ Bangor (www.dailypost.co.uk)
3. ^ Man held on suspicion of attempted murder after armed police called to Corwen incident (www.dailypost.co.uk)
4. ^ Bangor (www.dailypost.co.uk)
5. ^ Caernarfon (www.dailypost.co.uk)
6. ^ Dolgellau (www.dailypost.co.uk)