Bourne’s Acquittal

Northern Advocate, 21 July 1938, Page 6

Bourne’s Acquittal

(Received 10 a.m.) LONDON, July 19. The presiding Judge, Sir John MacNaughton, at the trial of Mr Aleck Bourne, on a charge of illegally using an instrument on a young girl—of which he was acquitted—in his sumj ming-up, emphasised the difference j between defendant’s case and a prose- | cution for illegal abortion, pointing out that Mr Bourne had acted in the cause of charity. Defendant believed that he was doing right in pux*suance of his duty to alleviate suffering. The Judge added that if pregnancy was likely to make the girl a physical and mental wreck, the jury was entitled to take the view that the operation was justified, if the doctor acted in good faith. The jury was absent for 40 minutes. There was some applause when the vei’dict was announced, but it was immediately suppressed. At the close of the case, Mr Bourne was warmly congratulated, the first handshake being from the girl in the case. Doctors gathered for the British Medical Conference at Bournemouth stood up and cheered when they hoard the verdict.