A man accused of trying to cause a woman to have a miscarriage by inserting medication into her has told a jury he did not do it.

Stuart Worby, 40, has gone on trial together with Wayne Finney, 41, accused of offences said to have made the woman - who cannot be identified for legal reasons - have a miscarriage.

Norwich Crown Court has heard Worby is said to have put abortion medication into the woman’s vagina when he sexually assaulted her.

On Wednesday (October 23) Simon Spence KC, defending Worby, said the prosecution alleged the defendant “inserted” the medication into the woman.

He asked, “Did you do that?”

Worby replied, “No, I didn’t.”

Mr Spence said, “Apart from your fingers did you put anything into her?”

Worby replied, “Nothing.”

Jurors heard that at the time of the alleged offences, in August 2022, Worby was struggling.

He said he, "Couldn't emphasise enough the stress I was going through at the time."

Worby accepts he had been researching abortion medication and had got some after discussing it with his co-accused.

He also accepted he had previously formed an intention to "bring about by the use of drugs, a miscarriage", but he said he did not go through with it after obtaining it.

He was asked by Mr Spence whether at that stage he had been intending to administer the abortion drugs.

He said, "No, because at this point I was like, what am I doing?"

The jury have heard how abortion medication was obtained by Finney after his partner Nueza Cepeda, 39,  received it following a consultation with a gynaecologist in London.

The victim, who was allegedly also sexually assaulted by Worby, attended the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) on August 4 2022 after suffering painful cramps and later miscarried.

Cepeda, of Walnut Way, Dereham, has admitted an offence of supplying or procuring an instrument to be used with intent to procure a miscarriage.

Worby, of Malthouse Court, Dereham, has denied administering a poison or using an instrument with intent to procure a miscarriage - specifically that between July 1 and August 5, 2022, he administered tablets to the victim resulting in miscarriage.

He has also denied two counts of assault by penetration to the victim on August 3, 2022.

Finney, of Station Street, Swaffham, has denied intentionally encouraging or assisting in the commission of the offence, by supplying the medication that Worby gave to the victim.

The trial continues.