Peterborough doctor’s CPR plea after trying to save manslaughter victim

Haq Nawaz came across 30-year-old Audrius Lapinskas on the evening of January 5 this year. Mr Lapinskas had been punched by Nicolae Budurus, and he was lying critically ill in the road at about 8.30pm.

Sadly despite Mr Nawaz’s best efforts, Mr Lapinskas died later in the evening,

Yesterday Budurus was sentenced after admitting manslaughter.

Today, Mr Nawaz told the Peterborough Telegraph he had tried his best to save Mr Lapinskas’ life.

He said: “I stumbled across the scene moments after it happened. I was doing my normal walk, when I saw a bike on the footpath, and a man standing by wearing a blue dressing gown. I asked why he didn’t move the bike. He just waved his hand.

I looked to the right, and saw someone lying there. I asked what had happened, and if he had called teh ambulance. he said no, as he didn’t know the number.

“I called 999, and started CPR.

“He was bleeding from the mouth, nose and ear, so I was only able to do compressions.

“I was doing this for five minutes until the ambulance arrived.”

Mr Nawaz said he could see Mr Lapinskas was very seriously injured, although he was not aware of how the injuries had been caused.

He said:” I was thinking, if only I could have done a tracheotomy, I might have been able to do something.

“The ambulance took over, and tried the defibrillator, but he was flat lining.”

Later Mr Nawaz was told Mr Lapinscas had died.

MORE: Family of Peterborough cyclist killed after he was punched hope to get closure after sentencing

Mr Nawaz, from New England said: “For a few nights I could not sleep. I was just thing ‘what if, what else could I have done.”

He gave a statement, and was prepared to give evidence at court, but Budurus pleaded guilty to manslaughter, so a trial was not needed.

Now Mr Nawaz, who worked in A&E unites in the 80s and 90s before retiring is calling for residents to learn first aid, so they can help people in need.

He said: “I really want to raise the importance of learning CPR. If his injuries had been a little less serious, it might have been able to save him.

“You never know when you will need it, but it is so important.

“You might not need it for five years, ten years - you might never need it. But you could save someone’s life.

“I saw many deaths while I was working, some literally died in my arms. If you can save someone’s life, you can’t do anything better.”

Cambridge Crown Court heard that CCTV showed Mr Lapinskas cycling along the pavement in Lincoln Road in a “weaving motion” before stopping by the row of parked cars at 8.38pm.

Less than a minute later, the footage captured Budurus running out of his house towards the victim where he threw a left-handed punch and then attempted to kick Mr Lapinskas.

A line of trees blocked the view of what took place following this, but movement could be seen on the camera.

At 8.39pm, Budurus was seen on camera coming out from the line of trees before pulling Mr Lapinskas’s bike onto the pavement and going back into his house.

In police interview Budurus admitted being in bed at home before hearing a noise. He claimed due to his car being broken into a year previously, he went outside to investigate where he saw a hooded man trying to pull the wing mirror off his car which was parked two or three metres away.

Budurus admitted punching Mr Lapinskas “two or three times” in the face before pulling him off his bike and onto the ground.

He broke down in tears during the interview and told officers it was never his intention to kill or seriously harm anyone. He claimed in hindsight that his actions weren’t reasonable and said he wished he had never left his house.

Sentencing, Judge David Farrell QC said Budurus was of previous good character and had given a truthful account of events in his police interview.

He said Budurus accepted he had used “unreasonable force” but said it was clear he didn’t talk to police at the scene or call the emergency services due to a “language barrier”.

Judge Farrell added that this was an “unusual case” because he accepted that Budurus had no intention to cause Mr Lapinskas serious injury, let alone death.

He said Budurus showed clear remorse and had tried his best to help throughout the incident, also highlighting his “exemplary” good character and role as a “hard working family man”.

Judge Farrell concluded that the situation in this case was caused by the victim, who was drunk and damaging Budurus’s car.

Adding that Budurus had already spent the equivalent of eight months in custody, Judge Farrell sentenced Budurus to 16 months in prison, suspended for 18 months. He was also handed a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.