Baby born in hospital car park after parents stopped by police roadblocks

Perth Royal Infirmary: Rachel Rodger gave birth in hospital car park.

A new mother has hit out after giving birth alone in a car park after being stopped twice by police roadblocks on her way to hospital.

Rachel Rodger, 26, was warned that her baby was likely to make a swift appearance as he was her second baby.

When she set off from her home in Coupar Angus, Perthshire, she expected the journey to Perth Royal Infirmary to take just 30 minutes.

But she and her husband Jason Rodger were stopped by police in nearby Scone then again when they arrived in the city.

At the first roadblock they were told by a police officer that they would not be allowed to drive on until they had answered all of their questions.

Vehicles were being stopped after reports of an early morning break-in at a supermarket in Scone, in which a large quantity of cigarettes was allegedly stolen.

Mrs Rodger, who also has a three-year-old son Keiran, said: "When we got to Scone, we got stopped and my husband shouted out to the police officers that I was in labour."

"They still stopped us and asked us lots of details, like our names, addresses and dates of birth.

"Then, the female officer asked us what our purpose for being on the road was - even though I was clearly in labour. Why else would we be on the road at 4am?

"I was totally panicking. I had had a child before and I knew what was coming."

Officers at the second stop allowed them to continue, but by that point Mrs Rodger was in the final stages of labour. When they arrived at the hospital, her husband went to find a midwife leaving Mrs Rodger alone as she began to give birth to her son, Luke.

Mrs Rodger said: "My legs gave way. I was screaming and panicking.

"My husband ran to press the intercom and ask for a midwife.

"Afterwards, I realised people roundabout must have all been looking out the windows, wondering why I was was screaming.

"I was terrified, being on my own, in the dark. It wasn't nice. We're so lucky Luke is okay but what if there had been complications? What if his cord had been wrapped round his head?"

A midwife ran out to finish helping Mrs Rodger give birth and Luke's cord was cut in the dark.

Mrs Rodger has since received an apology from Tayside Police after he mother Isobel Hindmarsh wrote to the force to complain.

In his reply to Mrs Hindmarsh, inspector Ian Martin, of Tayside Police's community policing division, apologised for the incident on May 13.

He said: "It is a matter of great regret that our actions, intended to affect the arrest of those responsible for a break-in to a premises in Scone, resulted in a delay in your daughter getting to Perth Royal Infirmary. I offer my apologies if the delay in being stopped at the road block impacted on subsequent events and for any anxiety or distress caused to your daughter."

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