 A woman jailed for illegally obtaining abortion tablets to end her pregnancy during lockdown will be released from prison. The case of Carla Foster, 45, led to calls for the UK's 'outdated' abortion legislation to be reformed. She was handed a 28-month extended sentence after she admitted illegally procuring her own abortion when she was between 32 and 34 weeks pregnant. Abortions are generally only legal before 24 weeks and are carried out in clinics after 10 weeks of pregnancy. Sentencing Foster last month, Mr Justice Pepperall said Foster would serve half her term in custody and the remainder on licence after her release. But at the Court of Appeal in London today, three judges reduced her prison sentence. Dame Victoria Sharp, sitting with Lord Justice Holroyde and Mrs Justice Lambert, said Foster's sentence would be reduced to 14 months and that it should be suspended. 'This is a very sad case… It is a case that calls for compassion, not punishment,' Dame Victoria added. Foster appeared via videolink from Foston Hall prison for the hearing, wearing glasses and a dark blue top with flowers on the shoulders. Following the sentencing of the 45-year-old earlier this year, desperate calls were made for change. Caroline Nokes, chair of the Commons Women and Equalities Committee, had joined women's rights groups in calling for reform to the 1861 legislation. She told BBC Radio 4's World Tonight programme: 'Cases like this, although tragic and fortunately very rare, do throw into stark relief that we are reliant on legislation that is very, very out of date.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
A woman jailed for illegally obtaining abortion tablets to end her pregnancy during lockdown will be released from prison.
The case of Carla Foster, 45, led to calls for the UK’s ‘outdated’ abortion legislation to be reformed.
She was handed a 28-month extended sentence after she admitted illegally procuring her own abortion when she was between 32 and 34 weeks pregnant.
Abortions are generally only legal before 24 weeks and are carried out in clinics after 10 weeks of pregnancy.