A man who gave orange juice to a woman that he spiked with an abortion-inducing drug has been found guilty of administering a poison to procure a miscarriage after she lost her unborn baby.
On the night of August 3 2022, Stuart Worby, 40, secretly mixed mifepristone into the woman’s orange juice without her knowledge or consent, according to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
The man from Dereham, Norfolk, also deceitfully inserted several tablets of another abortion drug into the woman while engaging in sexual activity under false pretences.
The woman suffered a severe reaction shortly afterwards and was rushed to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital the next day, where she tragically miscarried at 15 weeks.
Norfolk Police disclosed that the woman, who had intended to keep her baby, discovered texts on Worby’s phone to another individual, Wayne Finney, stating “it’s working” and “there is lots of blood”.
She then realised that what she had experienced was not a natural miscarriage but a “deceitful and planned termination”, as described by the police.
Worby was found guilty of using poison or an instrument with the intent to cause a miscarriage by jurors at Norwich Crown Court, the CPS confirmed.
Despite his denial of the charges, he was also convicted of assault by penetration.
Nueza Cepeda, 39, also from Dereham, admitted to supplying an instrument to procure a miscarriage.
Worby’s bank records revealed that he had paid for Cepeda to undergo a medical consultation, which led to her obtaining two specific drugs, according to the CPS.
Norfolk Police disclosed that during the trial, it was heard that Worby had purchased the tablets for £470 from a gynaecology centre in London on July 29, 2022.
The police force stated that Cepeda had made a phone call to the centre, informing them she was pregnant, already had a family, and wished to terminate the foetus.
The centre clarified to Cepeda that it would be illegal to give the medication to another person, after which she was given the prescription, the police added.
Her boyfriend, Wayne Finney, 41, from Swaffham, was acquitted of intentionally encouraging or assisting others to commit a crime, as per the CPS.
Nicola Pope, from the CPS, commented: “This is a heartbreaking case involving a woman who wanted to have her baby but was forced to have a miscarriage by Stuart Worby.”
“He committed this heinous crime along with Nueza Cepeda, who helped him by illegally obtaining drugs that are used by women seeking an abortion.”
“These drugs give women power and control over their bodies but the victim was forced to take them without her knowledge or consent.”
“I thank the jury who have had to listen to some disturbing evidence, our thoughts remain with the victim of this horrific crime.”
The CPS mentioned that CCTV footage from the day prior to the incident showed Cepeda arriving at a pub with a white envelope, believed by prosecutors to contain the abortion pills, and handing it over to Worby.
In startling court testimony, a gynaecologist stated that simply drinking mifepristone with orange juice would not have been enough to induce the womans symptoms or cause the miscarriage, insisting misoprostol must also have been consumed.
A toxicologist told the court that the nail clippings taken from Worby for forensic analysis tested positive for traces of both mifepristone and misoprostol.
The baby’s post-mortem examination later revealed evidence of mifepristone in its system.
DCI Duncan Woodhams from Norfolk Police commended the victim’s courage: “We pay tribute to the bravery of the victim who has endured the most terrible loss, her courage to come forward and give evidence has been invaluable in ensuring a guilty verdict.”
He added their gratitude towards those who offered support: “We also pay tribute to all the medical and health professionals and family, neighbours and friends who have supported the victim in her testimony.”
Acknowledging the tragedy’s long-lasting effects, he noted: “The impact of this event could have lifelong repercussions for the victim.”
Describing the investigations challenges, DCI Woodhams outlined: “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.”
Worby and Cepeda are slated for sentencing at Norwich Crown Court come December 6.
Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond. Sign up to our daily newsletter.