Symptoms suggested chemical abortion, trial told

A medical expert has told a court the symptoms suffered by a woman who went on to lose her baby were a “classic” case of a chemical abortion.

Stuart Worby, 40, is alleged to have administered the medication to the woman without her knowledge while sexually assaulting her in summer 2022.

Prof Janesh Gupta, an expert in obstetrics and gynaecology, explained to the jury at Norwich Crown Court how the two drugs mifepristone and misoprostol worked together to cause a miscarriage.

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

Prof Gupta told the jury that misoprostol contained prostaglandin, a substance naturally present in our bodies, but which, at a high level, caused miscarriage.

“Once the uterus is primed with mifepristone the effect on the uterus is quite explosive. Within two to six hours you’d expect an effect,” he said.

Edmund Vickers, prosecuting, asked if the symptoms the victim reported - pain, bleeding, a raised temperature and shivering - suggested the drugs had been consumed.

Prof Gupta replied: “They seem to be almost classical of misoprostol.”

When she gave evidence, the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she did not knowingly take the medication and had wanted to keep her baby.

The court has previously heard messages were found on Mr Worby’s phone to his friend Wayne Finney on the day of the miscarriage in he wrote: “It’s working. She’s bleeding."

The woman contacted police after seeing this message.

Mr Finney, 41, of Station Street, Swaffham, Norfolk, denies intentionally encouraging or assisting in the commission of the alleged offence by supplying the medication.

The jury was read a transcript of his first police interview.

In it he was asked by officers about the messages and searches found on his phone for abortion medication.

Mr Finney told them: “I’ve not helped, you know, I admit I helped him [Mr Worby] research it but that was never for anything illegal.”

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 would be sentenced at a later date.

The case continues.

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