Sarah Catt admits procuring miscarriage

A 35-year-old North Yorkshire woman has pleaded guilty to taking poison with intent to procure a miscarriage, in the final phase of her pregnancy.

Sarah Louise Catt was 29 weeks pregnant in March 2010 and took drugs to cause an early delivery at some point after that date, Leeds Crown Court was told.

The court heard there was evidence Catt bought the medication on the internet. She will be sentenced at a later date.

It is not known what happened to the remains of the baby.

'Unanswered questions'

Speaking after the hearing, Ch Insp Kerrin Smith, of North Yorkshire Police, said: "This marks the end of a long police investigation but many questions remain unanswered.

"Throughout the investigation she had claimed that this pregnancy was terminated legitimately even though that would not be legally possible.

"North Yorkshire Police gathered evidence that Sarah Catt purchased medication via the internet which would facilitate a labour and delivery of a child.

"The evidence shows this to have happened in the final phase of pregnancy, the third trimester, i.e. within the last week of the due date that this baby should have been born.

"Although a guilty plea has been entered, the question 'What has happened to the baby which Catt was carrying?' remains unanswered.

"To date no remains of that pregnancy and no child has been traced."