POLICE in Herefordshire are at the centre of a judicial review being taken to the High Court by a woman attempting to tighten abortion laws.

The case revolves around West Mercia Constabulary's alleged failure to investigate accusations of unlawful killing made against Hereford doctors who terminated a pregnancy at six months because the mother-to-be did not want to give birth to a baby with a cleft lip and palate.

Abortion beyond 24 weeks was made illegal in 1990 unless doctors believe there is a substantial risk that the child would be born "seriously handicapped."

The Rev Joanna Jepson, a 27-year-old curate in the Chester diocese, who made the initial allegations, now wants to use the case to clarify what constitutes a "serious handicap".

"I underwent corrective surgery for a congenital jaw abnormality myself and my brother was born with Down's Syndrome," she said. "It's something I feel very strongly about."

A cleft lip and palate can be rectified with a relatively simple operation leaving little or no obvious deformity.

Notification

The chief constable of West Mercia Constabulary Paul West, the defendant in the case, will contest all aspects of the claim.

In a statement made to the High Court, Mr West stated he had sought the advice of Miss Heather Mellows, the vice-president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

"Miss Mellows considered the relevant abortion notification form," the statement read.

"She indicated that the abortion notification form was correctly signed.

"The police have acted within the proper remit of police operation discretion."