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| Assisting lawful abortion in England 'not a crime', says DPP | Assisting lawful abortion in England 'not a crime', says DPP |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| There is no criminal offence if someone assists a woman in going to England for a lawful abortion, the Director of Public Prosecutions in NI has said. | |
| Barra McGrory made the comments after the BBC was told draft abortion guidelines had caused a "mood of fear" among medical staff. | Barra McGrory made the comments after the BBC was told draft abortion guidelines had caused a "mood of fear" among medical staff. |
| There have been calls for clarity after women carrying babies with fatal foetal abnormalities told their stories. | There have been calls for clarity after women carrying babies with fatal foetal abnormalities told their stories. |
| Foetal abnormality is not a reason for abortion under Northern Ireland law. | Foetal abnormality is not a reason for abortion under Northern Ireland law. |
| Draft guidelines were published in March, but following a consultation process, revised guidelines are being brought before the Stormont Executive within weeks. | Draft guidelines were published in March, but following a consultation process, revised guidelines are being brought before the Stormont Executive within weeks. |
| Health Minister Edwin Poots has said he would meet the Public Prosecution Service about the potential prosecution of staff involved in an abortion in certain circumstances. | Health Minister Edwin Poots has said he would meet the Public Prosecution Service about the potential prosecution of staff involved in an abortion in certain circumstances. |
| He said he was also taking legal advice from other sources. Mr Poots said he had work to do that needed to be handled sensitively and he would not be deflected from it. | He said he was also taking legal advice from other sources. Mr Poots said he had work to do that needed to be handled sensitively and he would not be deflected from it. |
| Mr McGrory told the BBC's Nolan Show said: "There is no criminal offence of aiding and abetting, counselling or procuring someone to have what is a lawful abortion in England," he said. | Mr McGrory told the BBC's Nolan Show said: "There is no criminal offence of aiding and abetting, counselling or procuring someone to have what is a lawful abortion in England," he said. |
| "We can see no circumstances in which anyone would fall foul of the criminal law in that regard." | "We can see no circumstances in which anyone would fall foul of the criminal law in that regard." |
| Mr McGrory added: "The circumstances in which you are talking, of these tragic cases of foetal abnormality, where individuals have felt it necessary to travel to England to have an abortion because of serious foetal abnormality, in those circumstances, I can envisage no situation where anyone giving advice and assistance in that regard would fall foul of the law. | Mr McGrory added: "The circumstances in which you are talking, of these tragic cases of foetal abnormality, where individuals have felt it necessary to travel to England to have an abortion because of serious foetal abnormality, in those circumstances, I can envisage no situation where anyone giving advice and assistance in that regard would fall foul of the law. |
| "You cannot aid or abet or procure something which is not a crime in our law." | "You cannot aid or abet or procure something which is not a crime in our law." |
| Last week, the BBC's Nolan Show highlighted the cases of two women, whose babies had fatal foetal abnormality, who were refused terminations in Northern Ireland, | Last week, the BBC's Nolan Show highlighted the cases of two women, whose babies had fatal foetal abnormality, who were refused terminations in Northern Ireland, |
| Sarah Ewart travelled to England for an abortion because her baby was diagnosed with anencephaly, a severe brain abnormality. | Sarah Ewart travelled to England for an abortion because her baby was diagnosed with anencephaly, a severe brain abnormality. |
| She said the baby's skull was not formed and it was brain dead. | She said the baby's skull was not formed and it was brain dead. |
| Another woman, Laura, who is 22 weeks pregnant with twins who are suffering from the same condition, appealed to Mr Poots to allow her to have an abortion in Northern Ireland. | Another woman, Laura, who is 22 weeks pregnant with twins who are suffering from the same condition, appealed to Mr Poots to allow her to have an abortion in Northern Ireland. |