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Ex-Catholic official denies pressurising lover to have abortion
THE MOTHER of an ex-lover of a former spokesman for the Catholic Church
has told the High Court how he and his mother rushed her daughter into
an abortion.
Writer Moyra Bremner said she was horrified to return from a holiday to
India in 1989 and hear that her 26-year-old daughter Siobhán had
had a termination after becoming pregnant by Austen Ivereigh.
“I felt even more horrified when I heard that Austen and his mother
had taken her,” she said.
“I felt that they had rushed her into it.”
Ms Bremner said Siobhán had promised she would wait until she got
back — which she thought would give her daughter time to perhaps
reach another decision or a reconciliation with 41-year-old Mr Ivereigh.
Mr Ivereigh — who later became head of public affairs for the Archbishop
of Westminster Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor — claims Siobhán
had the abortion against his wishes at Ms Bremner’s insistence.
He is suing over a 2006 article in the Daily Mail which he says falsely
presented him as a cad and a hypocrite and cost him his job.
He strongly disputes claims by Siobhán and another woman —
who can only be identified as Madame X — that he failed to support
them when they became pregnant and put them in a position where they felt
they had no choice but to abort.
Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers denies libel.
Ms Bremner said she had repeatedly tried to get Mr Ivereigh to make a
firm commitment to provide for the child.
Giving evidence later Madame X told the jury that when she and Mr Ivereigh
began a sexual relationship in 2005 they did not use contraception.
She said he told her he was opposed to the use of contraception because
of his religious beliefs.
The jury has been told that she found out she was pregnant with twins
in February 2006 but suffered a miscarriage.
The hearing continues this week. |
