A FILE IS being prepared for the Northern Irish Public Prosecution Service (PPS) after three women walked into a Derry police station in connection with procuring abortion pills.

Three women, reportedly in their late 60s and early 70s, walked into the Strand Road police station last night.

They have since been released and a file is being prepared for the PPS, a PSNI spokeswoman said.

Three females attended Strand Road police station last night in connection with the procurement of abortion pills, contrary to section 58 of the Offences Against the Person Act.

Police inquiries into the matter will continue.

Several pro-choice supporters cheered the women as they walked into the station last night – one of whom held a sign saying, ‘Women will always have abortions. Make sure they’re safe and legal.’

Speaking outside the police station, one of the women said the three women were angry that abortion is still illegal in Northern Ireland.

“Women who can afford to travel to England can have a legal abortion,” she told UTV. “Women who can’t afford to travel can only access nine week abortion pills.”

Challenging the law

Alliance for Choice Derry held a protest to coincide with the women attending the police station.

On its Facebook page, it demanded change to “completely out-of-date laws on abortion in Ireland – North and South”.

Keeping abortion illegal doesn’t stop abortions – it only means there is one law for the rich, another for the poor.

Women with money can travel and pay to have a legal abortion – those without either…get abortion pills or are forced to continue an unwanted pregnancy.

Read: Cork-based Social Democrat dropped as mass reader over party’s abortion stance

Read: More than 3,400 Irish women travelled to UK for abortions in 2015