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| Jeremy Hunt steps in after CPS decides not to prosecute abortion doctors | Jeremy Hunt steps in after CPS decides not to prosecute abortion doctors |
| (14 days later) | |
| Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, has referred to the attorney general a decision by the Crown Prosecution Service not to bring charges against two doctors who allegedly agreed to arrange abortions for women who did not want a baby girl. | Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, has referred to the attorney general a decision by the Crown Prosecution Service not to bring charges against two doctors who allegedly agreed to arrange abortions for women who did not want a baby girl. |
| Hunt wrote to the attorney general after the CPS decided that prosecuting the two doctors, who were recorded agreeing to arrange terminations based on the sex of an unborn child, would not be in the public interest. | Hunt wrote to the attorney general after the CPS decided that prosecuting the two doctors, who were recorded agreeing to arrange terminations based on the sex of an unborn child, would not be in the public interest. |
| Hunt said: "We are clear that gender selection abortion is against the law and completely unacceptable. | Hunt said: "We are clear that gender selection abortion is against the law and completely unacceptable. |
| "This is a concerning development and I have written to the attorney general to ask for urgent clarification on the grounds for this decision." In a blog post, the CPS said it had concluded that even though the abortions did not go ahead, there was sufficient evidence to prosecute the two doctors for an attempted breach of the Abortion Act. | "This is a concerning development and I have written to the attorney general to ask for urgent clarification on the grounds for this decision." In a blog post, the CPS said it had concluded that even though the abortions did not go ahead, there was sufficient evidence to prosecute the two doctors for an attempted breach of the Abortion Act. |
| But it had decided it "would not be in the public interest" to prosecute them because the cases, which were exposed by an undercover newspaper investigation in the Daily Telegraph, would be better dealt with by the General Medical Council, the doctors' professional regulator. | But it had decided it "would not be in the public interest" to prosecute them because the cases, which were exposed by an undercover newspaper investigation in the Daily Telegraph, would be better dealt with by the General Medical Council, the doctors' professional regulator. |
| The GMC was already involved in the case and had the power to strike doctors off the register, the CPS added. | The GMC was already involved in the case and had the power to strike doctors off the register, the CPS added. |
| Jenny Hopkins, the deputy chief crown prosecutor for the CPS London, said the fact that the abortions had not taken place influenced the decision not to proceed with prosecutions. | Jenny Hopkins, the deputy chief crown prosecutor for the CPS London, said the fact that the abortions had not taken place influenced the decision not to proceed with prosecutions. |
| "Both suspects were doctors and providers of pregnancy terminations at the time of the alleged offences. The undercover operation involved the pregnant woman presenting herself as seeking an abortion on the grounds that she did not want to give birth to a girl. We are satisfied there was no intention to proceed. | "Both suspects were doctors and providers of pregnancy terminations at the time of the alleged offences. The undercover operation involved the pregnant woman presenting herself as seeking an abortion on the grounds that she did not want to give birth to a girl. We are satisfied there was no intention to proceed. |
| "Taking into account the need for professional judgment which deals firmly with wrongdoing, while not deterring other doctors from carrying out legitimate and medically justified abortions, we have concluded that the cases would be better dealt with by the GMC rather than by prosecution. | "Taking into account the need for professional judgment which deals firmly with wrongdoing, while not deterring other doctors from carrying out legitimate and medically justified abortions, we have concluded that the cases would be better dealt with by the GMC rather than by prosecution. |
| "In coming to this conclusion, we have also taken into account that in these cases no abortion took place or would have taken place." | "In coming to this conclusion, we have also taken into account that in these cases no abortion took place or would have taken place." |
| Scotland Yard confirmed that it has closed its investigation into the two doctors. A spokesman said: "We can confirm the Metropolitan Police Service have been advised by the CPS that there should be no further action in relation to this matter, therefore our investigation is complete." | Scotland Yard confirmed that it has closed its investigation into the two doctors. A spokesman said: "We can confirm the Metropolitan Police Service have been advised by the CPS that there should be no further action in relation to this matter, therefore our investigation is complete." |
| The doctors have been named by the Telegraph as Dr Raj Mohan, who worked at the Calthorpe Clinic in Edgbaston, Birmingham, and Dr Prabha Sivaraman, who worked for both private clinics and NHS hospitals in Manchester. | The doctors have been named by the Telegraph as Dr Raj Mohan, who worked at the Calthorpe Clinic in Edgbaston, Birmingham, and Dr Prabha Sivaraman, who worked for both private clinics and NHS hospitals in Manchester. |
| Dr Sivaraman has restrictions imposed on her practice, according to the GMC's register of doctors. The conditions, which run from 9 March 2012 to 8 September 2013, include that "she must not authorise any termination of pregnancy or carry out any termination of pregnancy work, either by consultation or surgery". | Dr Sivaraman has restrictions imposed on her practice, according to the GMC's register of doctors. The conditions, which run from 9 March 2012 to 8 September 2013, include that "she must not authorise any termination of pregnancy or carry out any termination of pregnancy work, either by consultation or surgery". |
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