Drinking during pregnancy will not be a crime

Posted By: James

Friday 5th December 2014

The High Court has ruled that drinking during pregnancy will not be treated as a criminal offence. In a landmark case, judges were asked to decide if irresponsible alcohol consumption by mothers-to-be was unlawful. Lawyers for a girl of seven who was born disabled claimed her mother had committed a 'crime of violence' by drinking heavily during her pregnancy. However, appeal judges dismissed the case and said that no mother could be held criminally liable. The case was brought on behalf of the girl - now in foster care - by a council in northwest England.

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