Note 54 — ABORTION AND INFANTICIDE.

At the Chelmsford Assizes. Aug 1820, Robin Collins was indicted for administering steel filings and penny-royal water to a woman, with the intent to procure abortion. Mr. Baron Wood told the jury, in point of law, that if they were satisfied that the prisoner had administered the drugs with intent to procure miscarriage, though they were incapable of producing such effect, and though the young woman had willingly consented to take them, the case was within the statute, and they were bound to find the prisoner guilty. The jury immediately found the prisoner guilty. The learned judge expressed himself perfectly satisfied with the verdict, and animadverted in strong terms on the enormity and cruelty of the prisoner’s crime; public example required the severest visitation of punishment that the law authorised, in order to warn others against committing a similar crime, which unhappily was too prevalent. The sentence of the Court was that the prisoner should be transported for the term of fourteen years.