A man who killed a father by pushing him into the path of an ambulance responding to an emergency call has had his jail sentence reduced.
Incident Details
Lewis Budge, 22, shoved Robert Bromell with two hands, causing him to lose his balance and stumble back on the Corran Esplanade in Oban on September 6, 2023. The men had been out separately at the Markie Dans bar before talking outside after leaving the pub.
Mr Bromell, 39, was hit by the ambulance and sustained severe injuries, dying the following day at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, Renfrewshire. The ambulance had its blue lights on but was not using its sirens. Budge and Mr Bromell could not see the vehicle because of parked cars.
Mr Bromell was first taken to The Lorne and Islands Hospital in Oban before being transferred to the Royal Alexandra Hospital, where he passed away.
Original Sentence and Appeal
Budge was jailed for six years in February after admitting culpable homicide at the High Court in Glasgow. The sentencing judge, Lord Arthurson, stated: "Only a significant custodial disposal is appropriate in this case."
Lawyers acting for Budge, who was 20 at the time of the offence, challenged the sentence, arguing it was excessive during a hearing at the criminal appeal court in Edinburgh.
Defence counsel Mr McConnachie KC argued that the level of violence was at the very lower end of the scale. He said: "This is a case in which the level of violence was, considering what we see in these courts, relatively slight, it’s not even a punch, certainly there’s no weapon used, but the consequences were catastrophic."
He added: "This was not a premeditated act but it was a reckless one." Mr McConnachie noted that Budge has been assessed as being at a "minimum" risk of reoffending and has shown a high level of remorse.
Lady Wise, who heard the appeal with Lord Matthews, said they would allow the appeal and quash the original sentence. A four-year sentence was imposed.
