Woman accused of unlawful abortion cleared through jury

A lady accused of getting an unlawful abortion has been cleared through a jury.

Nicola Packer, 45, cried as she was once acquitted of “unlawfully administering to herself a poison or other noxious thing” with the “intent to procure a miscarriage”.

Isleworth Crown Court heard she took abortion drugs at house all the way through a coronavirus lockdown, in November 2020, when she was once about 26 weeks pregnant. Ms Packer then delivered the infant and took her tomorrow to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in a backpack.

The criminal prohibit for taking medicine at house to terminate a being pregnant is 10 weeks, whilst the outer prohibit for abortions in England, Scotland and Wales is 24 weeks, except for in sure cases.

Ms Packer, who was once 41 on the time, took the medicines mifepristone and misoprostol, that have been prescribed over the telephone because of Covid restrictions.

Prosecutors alleged that she knew she were pregnant for greater than 10 weeks, which she denied.

Giving proof all the way through her trial, Ms Packer spoke of her “shock” and “surprise” at pregnancy.

She informed the jury: “If I had known I was that far along I wouldn’t have done it.”

She added: “I wouldn’t have put the baby or myself through it.”

Jurors heard Ms Packer spent the night time of 7 November in clinic and was once arrested through police tomorrow.

Ms Packer was once supported through buddies within the public gallery, who hugged one some other as the decision was once delivered.

Jurors deliberated for greater than six hours to achieve their unanimous verdict.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists stated the trial demonstrated “just how outdated and harmful” present abortion regulation was once and known as for reform.

The faculty’s president, Dr Ranee Thakar, stated: “As a doctor, I am acutely aware of how vital it is that women can access essential healthcare in a safe and supportive environment.

“Restrictive abortion regulations in England and Wales nurture an atmosphere of concern, stigmatisation and criminalisation. Abortion reform is urgently wanted, and now’s the time for trade.”

The college said it had joined with healthcare professionals and experts “from over 30 different scientific, criminal and public well being our bodies” to call on Parliament to “take pressing motion to give protection to ladies’s crucial reproductive rights and prevent those prison complaints”.