BPAS Condemns Inhumane Retrial Decision

14 June

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) expresses its profound disappointment at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for pursuing a retrial of a woman accused of procuring her own abortion when she was a teenager, seven years after the alleged offence.

Heidi Stewart, CEO of BPAS, said:

"The decision to pursue this case and hold a trial after seven years is not only a gross miscarriage of justice but also a blatant disregard for the mental and emotional well-being of the young woman. To hold someone in legal limbo for such an extended period is a cruel and inhumane punishment, and underscores the urgent need for the decriminalisation of abortion for women in England and Wales.

“This young woman will now be held in legal limbo longer than any custodial sentence imposed on other women for similar offences. The legal system's role should be to protect and uphold the rights and dignity of individuals, not to subject them to protracted and unnecessary legal battles. This case highlights the dire consequences of outdated and punitive abortion laws that do not reflect the values of a modern, compassionate  and pro-choice society.

“MPs in the next Parliament must urgently pick up on the progress made in the last Parliament to decriminalise abortion for women and end the threat of police investigations, prosecutions and prison time once and for all.”

ENDS

For further information, please contact Georgina O’Reilly, BPAS Associate Director of Campaigns and Communications (maternity cover), on georgina.oreilly@bpas.org or 07384 891886.