A Tunisian woman today was handed a two-year jail sentence suspended for four years after admitting in court to carrying out an abortion. Another woman, a Moroccan, was also handed a suspended jail sentence after she admitted helping the Tunisian by providing the pills used to carry out the abortion.

The court heard how Raya Sellami Zammit, 30, carried out an abortion using pills on 10 November, when she was around six weeks pregnant. The abortion was carried out in Fgura, when Mrs Sellemi Zammit ingested some pills and inserted some others in her intimate part.

In handing down her judgement, Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras noted that the Tunisian had admitted at an early stage and had cooperated with the police. She also noted that the woman has a clean police record and the prosectution had not sought the maximum sentence. She also took into account the statement given by the accused, who had claimed that she had carried out an abortion because the foetus would have died anyway.

In the meantime, the court heard how Soumia Mansouri, who is Moroccan, admitted to giving 'medicine' to Raya Sellemi Zammit. She had also admitted at an early stage and cooperated fully with investigators.

Mrs Sellemi Zammit was jailed for two years suspended for four and Ms Mansouris was given an 18-month jail term suspended for three years.

Inspectors Joseph Busuttil and Spiridione Zammit prosecuted.