News · 19 March 2026
Lords Vote to Clear Police Records of Abortion Cases
Patche99z via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Women previously found guilty or detained for illegal abortions will gain significant relief from the stigma and long-term restrictions on career paths and travel opportunities. The House of Lords voted to pardon those with past convictions and clear police records for women who were arrested. Abortion offences were previously classed as violent crimes, causing arrests to appear on Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.
Reported by The Guardian · How we write briefs