A woman has been acquitted of unlawfully ending a pregnancy after she utilized abortion pills during the lockdown period.

Nicola Packer self-administered the medication at her residence in November 2020, following a remote consultation that resulted in her being prescribed mifepristone and misoprostol.

Subsequently, she presented a foetus, approximately 26 weeks developed, at Chelsea and Westminster hospital, as noted in the proceedings at Isleworth Crown Court.

After arriving at the hospital, she was taken into custody and subsequently charged with the offence of “unlawfully administering to herself a poison or other harmful substance” with the intent of inducing a miscarriage.

Packer received the medication under emergency legislation enacted during the pandemic—later established as permanent—that permits the distribution of pills by mail after a remote consultation for pregnancies up to 10 weeks old.

The prosecution contended that she believed she was beyond the 10-week mark when she took the pills.

However, Packer refuted the allegations, and a jury comprised of nine women and three men reached a unanimous not guilty verdict after a two-week trial.

In her closing arguments on Tuesday, Fiona Horlick KC, defending Packer, stated, “The circumstances surrounding this case are tragic, but they do not constitute a crime, and Ms. Packer is not guilty of the charges against her.”

She expressed the immense emotional distress Packer must have felt, highlighting the moment Packer had expected to see blood clots but instead viewed a fully formed baby in the toilet. “More than four years later, it’s evident that she remains profoundly affected by this experience.”

Packer, 45, who was accompanied by five supporters in the public gallery, shed tears and wiped her eyes as the jury’s foreperson announced the verdict, after deliberations that began Wednesday morning. For most of the trial, she was permitted to sit behind her defense team rather than in the dock.

Judge Edmunds KC remarked in court that “one can only hope that if there are other cases related to events during that challenging period of Covid,” the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) would “consider whether pursuing such matters serves the public interest.”

Earlier in the proceedings, the judge had requested the CPS to review whether it was in the public interest to continue with the case.

A spokesperson for the CPS stated, “Following the judge’s request for a review given the time elapsed since the alleged offense, we conducted a thorough re-examination of the case before deciding to go ahead with the prosecution, and the judge was informed of our decision.”

This case, which has burdened Packer for nearly five years, has exposed highly personal aspects of her life, including her medical history, sexual preferences, and even private photographs, all disclosed in court. This has sparked renewed calls for the decriminalization of abortion.

Katie Saxon, the Chief Strategic Communications Officer at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, asserted, “A woman seeking medical help following a traumatic experience has been subjected to an extended police investigation and public trial, with her personal life scrutinized by prosecutors and covered extensively in the media, resulting in significant emotional and financial implications.”

“The prosecution of women for ‘illegal’ abortion is never in the public interest, and no woman should ever have to endure such experiences again.”

Dr. Ranee Thakar, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, emphasized, “As a medical professional, I recognize the crucial necessity for women to receive essential healthcare within a secure and supportive environment.”

“The restrictive abortion laws in England and Wales create a climate of fear, stigma, and criminalization, unnecessarily exposing women to prolonged scrutiny, criminal prosecution, and jail time for making choices about their own pregnancies.”

She concluded that Packer’s situation illustrates how antiquated and detrimental these laws have become, asserting that “urgent reform of abortion laws is essential, and the time for change is now.”