Bethany Cox, a woman accused of carrying out an illegal abortion on herself, has been found not guilty just before her trial after the prosecution dropped the case. The reason for this decision was put down to “evidential difficulties.” Cox, 22, from Eaglescliffe in Stockton, was charged with using misoprostol to induce her miscarriage and child destruction in 2020.
Cox who pleaded not guilty to both charges, gave birth in July 2020, after the first Covid-19 lockdown period. Following the death of the baby, she was interviewed by the police and remained under investigation for three years before being charged and appearing in court in July 2023. Nicholas Lumley KC, Cox’s Counsel said she was “in the throes of grief” at the time of the interview. The barrister called it an “extraordinary state of affairs,” adding that it was “beyond regrettable” that Cox had gone through so much suffering.
Jolyon Perks, for the prosecution, told the Teesside Crown Court that the CPS was invited to review the case on December 19, and it was then that the decision was made not to proceed with the charges against Bethany Cox. He said a full review had been carried out, and that there was “no real prospect of a conviction” as the prosecution was “not in possession of key evidence.”
Judge Paul Watson, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, stated that the court had “no choice” but to direct a not-guilty verdict on both charges. The CPS spokesperson said that cases like this are carefully considered, and a prosecution is only carried out if the evidential standard has been met. “Following a further review of this case, we have concluded that our legal test is no longer met,” they said
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