Application for `habeas corpus' is withdrawn

The 13-year-old pregnant rape victim identified as C by the High Court has already gone to England to have an abortion, it emerged…

The 13-year-old pregnant rape victim identified as C by the High Court has already gone to England to have an abortion, it emerged yesterday.

An application was made to the High Court yesterday for an order to have the girl brought to court for the purposes of a habeas corpus inquiry.

The application was made by Mr Joseph McDonough, public relations officer of the Irish Civil Rights Association.

But, at a brief in camera hearing, a lawyer for the Eastern Health Board told Mr Justice Morris that the child had already left the jurisdiction. Mr McDonough's application was then withdrawn.

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Mr Justice Morris ruled that only the outcome of yesterday's application could be made public.

Mr Michael Collins SC, for Mr McDonough, told the court his client wished to make the outcome public because he was a member of an association engaged in public civil rights.