Abortion trial hears of 'pills' WhatsApp chat

A toxicologist told Norwich Crown Court tests had proved a drug had been ingested

A man accused of sexually assaulting a woman and giving her abortion drugs that caused her to miscarry had a WhatsApp exchange about "pills", his trial heard.

Stuart Worby, of Dereham in Norfolk, is alleged to have given the victim two types of abortion medication which led to her losing her unborn baby at 15 weeks in 2022.

Norwich Crown Court heard a transcript of a police interview in which he claimed he could not recall what was meant by messages between him and a friend who had said "they are sending the pills today".

Mr Worby, of Malthouse Court, denies two counts of sexual assault against the woman and a charge of administering a poison or using an instrument with intent to procure a miscarriage.

'Thanks for being there'

The interview included police showing Mr Worby some WhatsApp messages which suggested he had gone to co-defendant Wayne Finney for help in getting hold of mifepristone.

The jury has already heard the drug is used to terminate during early pregnancy, up to 10 weeks, with Mr Finney accused of supplying it to his friend.

Mr Worby ended the WhatsApp exchange by saying “thanks for being there for me, mate”.

When asked by police what he meant, he replied: "I don’t recall what I meant by it."

When officers suggested that he had given medication to the woman to cause a miscarriage, he said: "I just find that hard to swallow what you have just implied."

The court also heard from Fiona Perry, a forensic scientist specialising in toxicology, who carried out tests to try to establish the cause of the miscarriage.

She said the results confirmed the victim had taken or ingested mifepristone.

Mr Finney, 41, of Station Street, Swaffham, has denied intentionally encouraging or assisting in the commission of the offence, by supplying the medication

The jury has been told Mr Finney’s girlfriend Neuza Cepeda, 39, of Walnut Drive, Dereham, has admitted supplying or procuring an instrument to be used with the intent to procure a miscarriage in connection with the case, and will be sentenced at a later date.

The trial continues.