Pair charged with illegally aborting baby in Gloucestershire

2 years ago 48

A antheral and a pistillate person been charged with illegally aborting a babe and concealing the commencement of a child.

Elliot Benham from Wingfield, Swindon and Sophie Harvey, from St Mary's Road, Cirencester, were besides charged with illegally disposing of a baby's body.

Locations successful Swindon and Cirencester were searched successful September 2020 arsenic portion of the investigation.

Gloucestershire Police said the offences allegedly took spot betwixt 1 September 2018 and 1 December 2018.

The pair, who are some aged 23, were charged with:

Procuring a poison/ noxious happening to origin a miscarriage, contrary to Section 59 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861
Concealment of the commencement of a child, contrary to Section 60 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861
Committing an enactment with intent to pervert the people of nationalist justness contrary to communal law, namely disposing of the assemblage of a baby

Officers said Ms Harvey was separately charged with procuring her ain miscarriage by poison/use of instrument, contrary to Section 58 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.

In England abortions are ineligible up to 24 weeks' gestation if carried retired by a registered aesculapian practitioner, and tin beryllium carried retired aft 24 weeks lone successful precise constricted circumstances.

The Offences Against the Person Act 1861 states it is simply a transgression offence to effort to origin your ain abortion.

A constabulary spokesperson said it was "alleged successful this lawsuit that the gestation was past 24 weeks and was not carried retired by a registered aesculapian practitioner".

The antheral and the pistillate person been released connected bail and are owed to look astatine Cheltenham Magistrates' Court connected Thursday.

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