In modern society, we’re used to the idea that the letter of the law and its execution are two different things. Since 1839, it has been illegal to shake out a doormat on a UK street after 8am. It is, for some reason, illegal to handle a salmon under “suspicious circumstances”. Euthanasia, streaming pirated videos and smoking marijuana are each, in their way, illegal in the UK, but offenders are rarely prosecuted.
This status quo perhaps explains why we reacted with shock and horror to the news that in Northern Ireland, a woman has been handed a two month suspended sentence for ordering abortion pills online after her flatmates reported her to the police. Unlike in the rest of the UK, abortions are illegal in Northern Ireland unless the life or mental health of the mother is in danger. The court’s adherence to this law earned the case headlines all over the world.
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