Home / United Kingdom (England & Wales) / Unlawful abortion and child destruction
Unlawful abortion and child destructionPossibly — unconfirmed
Reported range, not yet confirmed against official text. Do not rely on this — awaiting confirmation.
Statutory range — reported, not yet confirmed
s. 58 — administering drugs / using instruments to procure abortion (on indictment)Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- Up to life
- Fine
- No fine stated in s. 58
Includes a woman procuring her own miscarriage and any person procuring another's.
s. 59 — supplying/procuring poison, instrument or thing to procure abortionPossibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 5 years
- Fine
- No fine stated in s. 59
0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.
Modern maximum per standard texts; enacted text states 3 years' penal servitude — needs re-check.
Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929 s. 1 — child destruction (on indictment)Possibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- Up to life
- Fine
- No fine stated in s. 1 (clause not retrieved)
Destroying the life of a child capable of being born alive, with intent. Penalty clause not retrieved in this pass — needs re-check.
s. 60 — concealing the birth of a childPossibly — unconfirmed
- Imprisonment
- 0 (no mandatory prison) – 2 years
- Fine
- No fine stated in s. 60
0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.
Secret disposition of the dead body of a child to conceal its birth.
PARTIAL: s. 58 (life) and s. 60 (2 years) verified from legislation.gov.uk text. The s. 59 modern maximum (5 years per standard texts; enacted text states 3 years' penal servitude) and the Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929 s. 1 penalty clause were not retrieved in this pass and need re-check. 'Penal servitude' is construed as imprisonment.