MovieChat Forums > Vera Drake (2005) Discussion > Jail time for Pamela?(spolier)

Jail time for Pamela?(spolier)

posted 17 years ago by kkyxrabbit
2 replies | jump to latest

I looked up the text of the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861, the law they sent Vera down for violating:

58. Administering drugs or using instruments to procure abortion.
Every woman, being with child, who, with intent to procure her own miscarriage, shall unlawfully administer to herself any poison or other noxious thing, or shall unlawfully use any instrument or other means whatsoever with the like intent, and whosoever, with intent to procure the miscarriage of any woman, whether she be or be not with child, shall unlawfully administer to her or cause to be taken by her any poison or other noxious thing, or shall unlawfully use any instrument or other means whatsoever with the like intent, shall be guilty of felony, and being convicted thereof shall be liable […] 105 to be kept in penal servitude for life […] 106

According to this law (and of course assuming she recovered from her procedure) wouldn't Pamela be prosecuted as well? and/or her Mom, for setting it up?

[–] rumpokid 17 years ago

It's clear from the movie that the Police use the threat of this law to get Vera's name out of Pamela's Mum.

[–] JaneSchmo 16 years ago

Maybe Pamela and Mom cut a deal with the prosecutor and/or the police. Or they got off lightly cause they gave Vera and Lily's names.

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