Although abortion was legalised in England and Wales in 1967, the procedure is still criminal in specific circumstances.

Under Section 58 of the Offence Against the Person Act 1861, which carries a maximum life sentence, it is illegal for a woman to administer “poison” (abortion pills) with the intent to cause her own miscarriage after the 24-week legal limit.

As the article also says:

Even when the test finds no trace of abortion medication women can continue to remain under suspicion “as a negative test does not exclude earlier use of drugs”, he said. In that event, he argued, “the only motivation for testing is entrapment”.

And the article examines a wide range of intrusive measures by police forces in the UK and other countries, violating fundamental human rights.

Perhaps this is just another facet of Project Fear, get 50% of the population worried they're having their rights infringed and we may go the way of the US and ban abortion in the future.

Remember kids, be scared.

Abortion is legal up to 24 weeks. After 24 weeks abortion is no longer legal (unless for medical reasons) as the foetus is regarded as viable - as in the foetus may survive birth with medical intervention. Premature babies born at 24 weeks can survive thanks to neonatal medicine.

The police are tasked with enforcing that law.

It remains highly controversial as on one hand there are arguments about women's rights Vs foetus rights (which are more nuanced as the foetus can survive at that age) and on the other when the law in enforced, how it is done is difficult and legal cases are highly controversial.

It's not like there are many women going around trying to abort at 24 weeks+; often they are cases of tragically chaotic lives, mental illness and so on. But the police are obliged to enforce the law, and we have a conservative government directing them to do so. And also ultimately the law is the law - the limit exists for a very good reason. A foetus born and dying without medical care due to an illegal late abortion is horrific to even think about, and adds a complex layer of emotion on to the whole topic.

It isn’t legal for a start, it’s technically still highly illegal, but there are loopholes and defenses created in a variety of acts, which can defend from prosecution for the vast vast majority of doctor-led abortions. It can still be found illegal in a hospital setting if the patient lies about certain factors.

Street/Backroom Abortions are not covered by these legislative defenses and so remain prosecutable and illegal.

Abortions are readily available before 24 weeks - after that the restrictions become tghter - you'll get one if the mother's life is at risk, or the foetus has a severe disability.

There is a problem in some communities with late selective abortions because the parents want a child of a particular sex, so that is one driver for late abortions that tend to get investigated, I believe.