Man Imprisoned for Sexual Assault and Administering Miscarriage-Inducing Drugs

A man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for sexually assaulting a pregnant woman and providing her with medication intended to induce a miscarriage. Prosecutors stated that Stuart Worby administered the drugs in a glass of orange juice while the victim was blindfolded, under the guise of what they described as “kinky sex.” The woman, whose identity cannot be disclosed for legal reasons, suffered a miscarriage at a hospital within hours of the assault. The 40-year-old, residing at Malthouse Court in Dereham, Norfolk, was found guilty 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. “You must have known this was dangerous for the victim,” stated Judge Joel Brennathan, speaking at Norwich Crown Court. “She spoke of the betrayal and pain and the strong possibility that you have stolen the one possibility she had to be a mother. You are a selfish man.” The trial revealed that the victim had been poisoned with two drugs—mifepristone and misoprostol—which are commonly used in combination to induce a miscarriage in early pregnancy. These medications are typically administered 24 hours apart and can be taken at home or in a medical clinic. Worby gave the woman mifepristone, crushed and mixed into a glass of orange juice. Prosecutor Edmund Vickers KC stated that the defendant then administered misoprostol the following day, again under the pretense of “kinky sex,” while the victim was blindfolded, preventing her from seeing his actions. The victim miscarried her 15-week-old foetus the subsequent day, in the summer of 2022. In a victim impact statement, the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, shared that since the ordeal, she had met a new partner but had been unable to conceive. “The only baby that I could have had was the one I lost.” Worby had asked his friend Neuza Cepeda to pose as a woman seeking an abortion. Following a phone consultation with a doctor at a London clinic, Cepeda received the medication. The pills-by-post scheme allows women who are less than 10 weeks pregnant to access abortion medication after a phone or video consultation with a doctor. Andrew Oliver, the defence barrister for Cepeda, indicated that she expressed genuine remorse and was “devastated that she has played a part in the harm and suffering of the victim.” Cepeda, 39, of Walnut Drive, Dereham, admitted to supplying or procuring an instrument to be used with the intent to procure a miscarriage and received a 22-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. Mr Justice Bennathan told Cepeda: “Without your participation he might not have been able to do it.” Her partner, Wayne Finney, 41, of Station Street, Swaffham, was accused of intentionally encouraging or assisting Cepeda, but he was cleared by the jury. The victim has been granted an indefinite restraining order against Worby. DI Duncan Woodhams from Norfolk Police commended the victim’s bravery and stated that the crime had a “huge impact” on her both physically and mentally. “It’s been one of the most horrendous crimes I’ve ever investigated and I hope I never have to do it again,” he remarked. For updates on Norfolk news, refer to BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.