Man Jailed for 12 Years for Spiking Pregnant Woman’s Drink

A Norfolk man who secretly sparked a miscarriage by giving abortion drugs to a pregnant woman has been sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Stuart Worby, 40, spiked the woman’s orange juice with mifepristone on August 3, 2022, and later inserted misoprostol tablets under the guise of engaging in “kinky sex.”

The victim, who was 15 weeks pregnant, suffered a severe physical reaction and was admitted to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital the following day, where she tragically lost her baby.

During sentencing at Norwich Crown Court, prosecutor Edmund Vickers KC described the crime as “deliberate, well-planned, and callous.” The court heard that the woman had desperately wanted to keep her baby.

Undated handout photo issued by Norfolk Police of Stuart Worby who has been found guilty at Norwich Crown Court of administering a poison to procure a miscarriage after she lost her unborn baby when he gave orange juice to a woman that he spiked with an abortion-inducing drug. Worby, 40, crushed a tablet of mifepristone into the drink on the night of August 3, 2022 without the woman's knowledge or consent, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said. Issue date: Wednesday October 30, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story COURTS Miscarriage. Photo credit should read: Norfolk Police /PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder. — Stuart Worby was today jailed for 12 years (Picture: Norfolk Police/PA)

In a victim impact statement, she said, “Being a mother was my dream. This pain will never leave me, knowing that this baby could have been my only chance to be a mother in this lifetime.”

Worby obtained the abortion drugs with the help of Nueza Cepeda, 39, the partner of a friend. To acquire the prescription, Cepeda attended a gynaecology appointment in London, which Worby arranged and paid for. She pleaded guilty to supplying an instrument to procure a miscarriage and was sentenced to 22 months in prison, suspended for two years. She was also ordered to complete 40 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Joel Bennathan condemned Worby’s actions as selfish and calculated, stating, “You set about aborting the baby without her knowing.” Along with his prison term, Worby was ordered to pay the woman £10,000 in damages and was given an indefinite restraining order prohibiting any contact with her.

According to her defence lawyer, Andrew Oliver, Cepeda’s involvement stemmed from “misguided loyalty” to Worby. The court acknowledged her remorse and her lack of previous convictions.

Worby was convicted earlier of sparking a miscarriage by poisoning or using an instrument, as well as assault by penetration. He also admitted to cannabis possession at the time of his arrest.

The case has left the victim devastated, grappling with the loss of her baby and the lasting emotional impact of Worby’s betrayal.