Doctors who agreed to abort babies because they were girls will not be prosecuted, despite there being a ‘realistic prospect of conviction’, it was reported in early September.
An investigation by The Daily Telegraph found two doctors offering to arrange abortions after being told that the women did not want the baby because of its sex.
The decision has prompted concern from the Health Secretary who called for ‘urgent clarification’ on the issue. And a Christian ethicist warned that the case seemed to put doctors ‘above the law’.
The Crown Prosecution Service, who said it was not in the public interest to prosecute, said the matter was for the General Medical Council. However, it cannot prosecute breaches of criminal law.
Keir Starmer, the country’s chief prosecutor, said: ‘This was a very difficult and finely balanced decision. It was based on the individual facts of the case; it is not a policy decision’. He said the specific reasons would be laid out in due course. The Prime Minister, in response to a question in the House, said that he shared the concerns over the incident. The Christian Institute
