Abortion drugs trial: Man found guilty of poisoning

A man has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a pregnant woman and giving her medication to cause a miscarriage.

Stuart Worby administered the drugs in a glass of orange juice and also while the victim was blindfolded under the guise of “kinky sex”.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, suffered a miscarriage in hospital within hours of the assault – which happened in 2022.

The 40-year-old, of Malthouse Court in Dereham, Norfolk, was convicted of two counts of sexual assault against the woman and a charge of administering a poison or using an instrument with intent to procure a miscarriage.

The jury at Norwich Crown Court delivered unanimous verdicts after deliberating for more than five hours.

Det Con Insp Duncan Woodhams from Norfolk Police led the investigation.

He said: “This has been a complex investigation into the deceitful and determined actions of Worby which had such horrific consequences and marks the first of its kind in finding someone guilty of this specific crime.”

Nicola Pope, from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: “These drugs give women power and control over their bodies – but the victim was forced to take them without her knowledge or consent.”

Worby’s co-defendant Wayne Finney 41, of Station Street, Swaffham, Norfolk, was also on trial accused of intentionally encouraging or assisting Worby – but he was found not guilty by the jury.

He claimed he had only helped Worby to research the procedure.

Mr Finney’s girlfriend Neuza Cepeda, 39, of Walnut Drive, Dereham, had already admitted supplying or procuring an instrument to be used with the intent to procure a miscarriage in connection with the case.

The case centred around the use of two drugs – mifepristone and misoprostol – which are commonly used together to induce a miscarriage in early pregnancy.

The medications are usually given 24 hours apart and can be administered at home after a women has had a consultation with a doctor.

Worby gave the woman mifepristone crushed up in a glass of orange juice.

Prosecutor Edmund Vickers KC told jurors the defendant administered misoprostol the next day under the guise of “kinky sex”, while she was blindfolded, so she could not see what he was doing.

The CPS said the victim miscarried her 15-week-old foetus the following day.

She told the court she had wanted the pregnancy and had not knowingly taken the medication.

Toxicology reports found traces of mifepristone in her blood and foetal tissue.

She contacted police when she saw messages on Worby’s phone to Mr Finney.

The defendant – who denied all the the offences during his trial – told the jury he acquired the medication unlawfully, but claimed he never gave it to the woman.

High Court Judge Joel Bennathan QC, who presided over the trial, warned him he would face an immediate custodial sentence.

“Mr Worby must understand the sentencing audit I will carry out is around how many years he will serve,” said Mr Justice Bennathan.

Worby and Cepeda are due to be sentenced on 6 December.