The High Court in Belfast has said Northern Ireland's restrictions on abortion are a breach of European human rights law.

The court says that the ban on abortion in the case of rape, incest or fatal foetal abnormality is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.

The ruling means the Northern Ireland Assembly will now be asked to amend the law and to allow such abortions.

The decision could have knock-on effects in the Republic, which is also subject to the European Convention on Human Rights, but which has its own constitutional ban on abortion in those cases.

The Human Rights Commission have welcomed today's landmark ruling against the Department of Justice.

Chief commissioner,Les Allamby, says its an historic decision