'Prison will never, ever be a safe place to be pregnant' - Calls to end jailing of pregnant women after infant was stillborn in a cell block loo

A band of mothers and campaigners today mounted a protest outside Styal prison in Cheshire to mark the second anniversary of an inmate delivering a stillborn infant her cell block toilet - and demand an end to the jailing of pregnant women.

A watchdog has found a prison nurse incorrectly concluded Louise Powell, who didn't know she was pregnant, was merely suffering severe period pain. Louise, 30, delivered the baby in the toilet but she was stillborn on June 18, 2020.

Today a band of protestors dubbed 'No Births Behind Bars' campaigning for an end to the imprisonment of pregnant women mounted a protest outside the gate of HMP Styal. Louise had been serving an eight-month sentence for common assault, criminal damage and using threatening words or behaviour when she delivered the stillborn infant, who she named Brooke Leigh Powell.

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Supporters said it was too traumatic for Louise to attend the protest but she said in a statement: "Brooke is always in my heart and my mind. Two years ago on 18 June 2020 I was left to give birth in a toilet, despite begging for help.

"It has been two years since she died and still we do not have accountability for what happened. I fully support the campaign for 'No Births Behind Bars' and thank you for your condolences and support for Brooke.”

She gave a TV interview about her ordeal last year.

Fellow inmates and staff had 'no suspicion' Louise was pregnant until the baby girl was born prematurely – possibly at between 27 and 31 weeks –in the toilet of her mother’s cell block, according to a report by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) Sue McAllister in January.

She said staff made a 'serious