Swaffham man Wayne Finney cleared of encouraging forced miscarriage - but another found guilty of the ‘horrific’ offence

A man has been cleared of encouraging a forced miscarriage - but another has been found guilty of committing the “horrific” offence.

Wayne Finney, 41, of Station Street, Swaffham, denied intentionally encouraging or assisting in the offence, and was found not guilty today.

However, Stuart Worby, 40, of Malthouse Court in Dereham, is set to be sentenced in December after a jury found him guilty of sexual assault and administering a poison or using an instrument to procure a miscarriage.

Worby had admitted buying a lethal medication, but had denied administering it to the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

During a trial lasting more than two weeks at Norwich Crown Court, the jury was told how Worby administered a noxious substance which caused a ‘chemical’ abortion in the victim, who was believed to be around 15 weeks pregnant at the time.

One of the medications involved was found in foetal tissue following a post-mortem examination.

Finney, a friend of Worby, and his girlfriend Nueza Cepeda were also suspected to be involved in the research and purchase of the abortion drugs, which were administered by Worby.

Finney denied intentionally encouraging or assisting in the offence. He was found not guilty by the jury today.

Neuza Cepeda, 39, of Walnut Drive in Dereham, has admitted producing an instrument to be used with the intent to procure a miscarriage and is due to be sentenced at a later date.

The court heard that Worby had bought the tablets of mifepristone and misoprostol for £470 from a gynae centre in London on July 29, 2022.

Cepeda made a telephone appointment to the centre to say she was pregnant, already had a family, and wanted to terminate the foetus.

Staff explained it was a criminal offence to give the medication to someone else.

She was then given the prescription, and a doctor explained the dangers of very heavy bleeding and significant pain between 10-24 weeks of pregnancy - as well as more permanent damage to the womb.

The pills were delivered to Cepeda on August 2, 2022 - and she then met up with Worby and Finney at the George Hotel in Dereham.

Cepeda is pictured on CCTV carrying a white envelope and placing it on a bench where they are sitting. Worby picks it up, pulling out a blue-coloured tablet box.

The victim, who had wanted to keep her baby, was unknowingly administered the pills. She immediately had to go to the bathroom to be sick, and had diarrhoea and began bleeding.

She then attended the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, and after enduring a number of hours of pain and blood loss, she suffered a miscarriage and had to have surgery. She had been around 15 weeks pregnant at the time.

The victim then found messages on the suspect’s phone to Finney which said: “It's working’" and "There is lots of blood".

It was at that moment she realised what she had suffered was not a spontaneous miscarriage, but a deceitful and planned termination.

Worby was arrested on August 5, 2022 on suspicion of sexual assault. While in detention at Wymondham Police Investigation Centre, he was further arrested for procuring a miscarriage by poison.

Officers found texts on Worby’s phone discussing abortion medication. Detectives discovered a Google search for misoprostol, as well as searches relating to whether a baby could survive an abortion.

Police investigators found a number of items at Worby’s address, including an empty blister pack of misoprostol in a waste bin in his bedroom, an iphone and a Nokia phone.

DCI Duncan Woodhams said: “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.

“We also pay tribute to all the medical and health professionals and family, neighbours and friends who have supported the victim in her testimony. The impact of this event could have life-long repercussions for the victim.

"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."

He is due to be sentenced on 6 December 2024.

Anyone who has been the victim of a sexual offence can call police on 999 in an emergency or report a crime on 101. If you need further support or don't feel you can speak to police, there are a list of support services who can help here.

People who need further support or do not feel they can contact the police can access information about other services here.