Poole Man Jailed Over Miscarriage Plot

21 October 2013, 17:13 | Updated: 21 October 2013, 17:15

A man has been jailed for ten years for trying to force two different women to miscarry their babies.

Richard Hallam, a 32-year-old Poole man – who previously could not be named – was found guilty after a trial at Winchester Crown Court for conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm with three other men.

He was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment on Friday 26 July 2013 at the same court.

Keith Harby, John Doyle and Ian Edgeworth were also found guilty and sentenced to ten years, seven years and four months and seven years in prison respectively.

The court heard evidence that Hallam conspired with Harby, Doyle and Edgeworth to cause serious harm to a 31-year-old Poole woman in two separate attacks with a hammer – in the car park at the Ashdown Leisure Centre on Thursday 30 August 2012 and on the driveway of an address in Poole on Wednesday 5 September 2012. The victim sustained injuries that required hospital treatment.

On Thursday 10 October 2013 at Bournemouth Crown Court, Hallam, pleaded guilty to the offence of procuring a miscarriage of a woman in November 2012. He was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on the same day to run consecutively to the earlier sentence.

The court heard evidence that Hallam administered a drug to a 25-year-old Poole woman to try and cause her to have a miscarriage.

Detective Constable John Oldfield, of Bournemouth and Poole CID, said:

“I welcome the sentences in both cases and hope that they will act as a deterrent to others.

“Both victims have suffered greatly and these crimes will have an impact on their lives from some time to come.

“Criminal behaviour such as this will not be tolerated and we are committed to bringing offenders to justice.”