A tearful dancer accused of illegally aborting her child advised a jury she regretted a “stupid” choice to buy tablets – however denied taking them to finish her being pregnant.
Sophie Harvey gave the impression emotional and gripping a sizzling H2O bottle as she took to the observer rise at the 3rd pace of her trial at Gloucester Crown Courtroom on Thursday.
The 25-year-old is accused of buying tablets to reason an abortion later studying she was once at 28 weeks and 5 days gestation – that means she may now not get a prison abortion in England.
Abortions in England are prison as much as 24 weeks gestation if performed by means of a registered clinical practitioner.
Harvey, nearest elderly 19, stated she and boyfriend Elliot Benham affirmative to shop for abortion medicine, however that the collect arrived later she suffered a stillbirth at her crowd house, she stated was once on 9 September in 2018.
Right through cross-examination by means of prosecutor KC Mrs Anna Vigars, Harvey stated she had sought after to stock the infant later being knowledgeable the being pregnant had long gone too a ways on 30 August.
Wondered why she had affirmative to form the tablets, she stated: “It was 50 50, I was confused, I was still trying to get my thoughts together.” She added: “It was stupid, and we shouldn’t have done it.”
Requested by means of Mrs Vigars if there was once any alternative reason why to shop for the tablets than to abort the infant, Harvey stated: “Just so that I had an option.” Mrs Vigars driven: “The option was illegal abortion, wasn’t it?” Harvey answered: “I don’t know.”
Previous, when requested by means of her defence legal professional, Mr Thomas Godfrey, if she had treated the medication, which have been picked up by means of Benham from a Royal Mail assortment place of business on 22 September, Harvey stated she took one tablet out of a packet.
“I was thinking about taking one in case it was incomplete [the stillbirth],” she stated. “I threw it in the bin.”
The jury heard how Harvey, who studied dance BTEC at Unutilized School in Swindon, had contacted her GP for a referral for an abortion later receiving a favorable being pregnant check.
Believing she was once 4 months pregnant, she went for the appointment at British Being pregnant Advisory Provider the place an ultrasound scan discovered she was once occasion the prison 24-week prohibit for an abortion.
When requested by means of Mr Godfrey how she felt, Harvey advised the jury: “I was shocked.
“It just wasn’t what I thought was going to happen so I was surprised, I thought the appointment [to have a termination] would just go ahead.”
The jury heard how within the days that adopted, Harvey visited abortion-related web sites and emailed one enquiring about transport and supply choices, Requested why, she stated: “I am not sure, I was just confused.”
The couple nearest affirmative to form the medication on 7 September.
Mr Godfrey requested if she knew taking tablets to urge an abortion could be unlawful, she answered: “Yes.”
Harvey, of St Mary’s Highway in Cirencester, denies buying poison with intent to obtain a miscarriage and denies administering poison with intent to obtain a miscarriage.
Harvey and Benham, of Wingfield in Swindon, Wiltshire, each abjure endeavor an office desiring to pervert the process justice by means of disposing of a kid.
Each defendants have admitted a price of concealing the beginning of a toddler.
The trial continues.
