Elliot Benham and Sophie Harvey deny illegal abortion
- Published
Elliot Benham (second left under umbrella) and Sophie Harvey (second right under umbrella) face allegations relating to illegally aborting a baby
A man and a woman have pleaded not guilty to illegally aborting a baby and concealing the birth of a child.
Elliot Benham, from Wingfield, Swindon and Sophie Harvey, from St Mary's Road, Cirencester, are also charged with illegally disposing of a baby's body.
The charges relate to alleged actions between September and December in 2018.
The pair, both 23, denied all charges when they appeared at Gloucester Crown Court earlier. They are due to face trial starting on 13 November.
Mr Benham and Ms Harvey, who are still together as a couple, were released on conditional bail and Mr Benham was ordered to surrender his passport.
Ms Harvey is accused of unlawfully administering a poison, namely Mifepristone, or other noxious thing, to procure her own miscarriage.
It is alleged that her pregnancy was past 24 weeks and that the alleged abortion was not carried out by a registered medical practitioner as required.
They are also jointly charged with:
Unlawfully procuring a poison from India to cause a miscarriage, contrary to Section 59 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861
Concealment of the birth of a child, contrary to Section 60 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861
Committing an act with intent to pervert the course of public justice contrary to common law, namely disposing of the body of a baby
In England, abortions are legal up to 24 weeks' gestation if carried out by a registered medical practitioner, and can be carried out after 24 weeks in very limited circumstances.
The Offences Against the Person Act 1861 states it is a criminal offence to try to cause your own abortion.
Judge Ian Lawrie KC adjourned the case for a trial review hearing on 12 May, and said the trial would be held at Cirencester Courthouse.
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