A man and a woman have been charged with procuring a poison to cause a miscarriage, concealing the birth of a child, and disposing of the baby’s body.

Elliot Benham and Sophie Harvey, both 23, have been accused of illegally aborting a baby following an investigation by Gloucestershire Constabulary’s Major Crime Investigation Team.

Harvey, of St Mary’s Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, has also been charged with procuring her own miscarriage by poison or use of an instrument.

Abortions are legal in England up to 24 weeks’ gestation if carried out by a registered medical practitioner, and can be carried out beyond 24 weeks in very limited circumstances.

It is alleged that in this case, the pregnancy was past 24 weeks and was not carried out by a medical practitioner.

Causing your own abortion was criminalised under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.

Gloucestershire Constabulary said locations in Swindon and Cirencester were searched as part of the investigation in September 2020, and the offences were alleged to have taken place between 1 September and 1 December 2018.

Harvey, and Benham, of Wingfield in Swindon, Wiltshire, have both been released on bail to attend Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

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