Father's horror at son's abortion

A father accused of murdering his terminally-ill son told a jury today how he watched in horror as doctors used a 2ft-long needle to abort a second unborn boy.

Andrew Wragg, 37, told Lewes Crown Court that he could still remember vividly how his wife, Mary, had a termination at seven and a half months.

Former SAS soldier Wragg denies murdering the couple's 10-year-old son Jacob at the family home in Worthing in July last year. He admits manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Giving evidence for the first time in the trial, Wragg spoke of the devastating moment that he and Mary discovered their unborn baby was carrying the same condition as Jacob.

Jacob was left deaf, unable to speak and crippled by Hunter's Syndrome, a degenerative disease that affects physical and mental development. Few sufferers live past their teenage years.

Wragg dialled 999 on 24 July last year from his house in Henty Close to say he had murdered Jacob by smothering him. He claimed it was a mercy killing. Today he said he and

his wife decided to abort their

second baby, later named Henry, when tests revealed he was a Hunter's carrier.

The diagnosis came only hours after tests revealed that Jacob had the disease and would die young. The couple were given two hours to decide whether or not to keep Henry. Wragg told of the moment his wife rang with news of Jacob's condition. He said: "I was in a lecture when she rang to say that Jacob was dying.

"The following morning the three of us went to the hospital in Hereford to see a paediatrician, who gave us the news of which disease it was. I do not think that either of us realised the implications for Henry. They brought to our attention that we needed to have Henry tested.

"We discussed what we would do if the results came back that Henry was a carrier. We trusted the professional who said we did not want to bring another Hunter into the world because of the terrible things that would happen to them. We decided we would terminate."

Wragg told the court that doctors failed to discuss with him the abortion procedure. With Mrs Wragg listening in court today, Wragg said: "They put a 2ft-long needle straight into Mary's stomach, into the baby. They were stabbing around trying to find it, which they eventually did. It was horrific. I could not understand why they did not tell me what was going to happen. I think if I had known, I would not have chosen to be there."

The case continues.