Eaglescliffe woman acquitted of illegal abortion charges

An Eaglescliffe woman, Bethany Cox, 22, has been acquitted of performing an illegal self-managed abortion due to lack of evidence.

The charges, alleging she used the drug misoprostol to end her pregnancy in 2020, were dropped on the eve of her trial. Cox had consistently pleaded not guilty at Teesside Crown Court.

Prosecutors cited "evidential difficulties" and admitted to having insufficient evidence for a likely conviction. Her defense highlighted the "extraordinary" nature of the case, detailing the personal grief and legal ordeals Cox faced over three years.

The Middlesbrough court directed a not guilty verdict on both counts, as it was unclear how or when the child had died.

The Crown Prosecution Service underscored that such cases require a high standard of evidence to proceed, and upon review, the case against Cox was deemed untenable.