Northern Ireland secretary failed to comply with abortion duty, judge rules

Ruling will put pressure on UK government to address ongoing lack of abortion facilities in region

The Northern Ireland secretary, Brandon Lewis, has failed to uphold his duties to provide full abortion services in the region, a high court judge has ruled.

The ruling will put the government in Westminster under pressure to address the situation in Northern Ireland, where women are struggling to access safe abortion services more than 18 months after the procedure was made legal in the country.