Adeleke Adelani forced his ex-girlfriend to ingest five misoprostol tablets on February 14, 2020, in Letterkenny, County Donegal. The woman carried a nine-week pregnancy and wanted to keep the child. Adelani threatened violence if she refused. He told her he would beat the foetus out of her body.
However, Adelani locked the woman in a bedroom after she took the pills. The tablets caused the unlawful termination of the pregnancy. Authorities discovered he had obtained the pills from Dublin.
Evidence Presented
Investigators found audio recordings on Adelani’s phone. In one clip, Adelani instructed the woman. “I’m showing you what to do… take this… I’m dead serious I’m forcing you. I don’t care, take it,” Adelani said.
Moreover records showed Adelani researched home abortion methods online. This evidence proved premeditation. The court heard the act inflicted physical and emotional harm.
Sentencing Details
John Aylmer, the judge, sentenced Adelani to 11 years in prison with the final two years suspended. This resulted in an effective nine-year term. Aylmer described the offense as extreme and premeditated. Additionally, Adelani pleaded guilty to unlawfully ending the life of a foetus. He already served a seven-year sentence for another crime.
Background and Impact
Adeleke Adelani, a 28-year-old Nigerian resident in Ireland, committed the act amid a breakup. The case marked one of the first coercive abortion prosecutions in Ireland. Meanwhile the victim endured severe distress from the forced procedure.
