It has emerged pro-life campaign groups have been supporting a couple in which a man sought a High Court order stopping his girlfriend from leaving Ireland for an abortion. Bernadette Smith of Belfast-based 'Precious Life' says offers have been made to pay the legal costs of the case.

She said the couple approached her counselling group Women's Net earlier in the week before the case came to court. The man feared his girlfriend's parents were putting undue pressure on her to have an abortion in the UK.

He withdrew his case today after a sworn statement by his girlfriend implying that 'matters will continue as at present in relation to the pregnancy'.

His barrister Seamus Ó'Tuathaill SC told Ms. Justice Mary Laffoy that the man has put faith in a sworn statement from his girlfriend that things 'will continue as at present in relation to the pregnancy'.

While it was not confirmed, this suggests that the woman intends to have the baby. The couple embraced outside court. The matter first came before the judge on Wednesday when the man sought an order stopping his girlfriend from leaving Ireland.

He expressed fears her parents were putting undue pressure on her to have an abortion in the UK because they were of the view she would be ruined if she had a child with a non-white man. The couple are both foreign nationals.

The court was told that he had no wish to stop her travelling for an abortion if this was what she wanted. Ms. Justice Laffoy put the matter back until today to allow the woman time to get legal advice. Once the case was withdrawn, the judge wished both sides well.

She also thanked lawyers for the Attorney General, who she had asked to observe proceedings.

"It is a very emotive matter. I felt I may have needed objective assistance", she said.

Pro-lifer Bernadette Smith spoke outside court to Newstalk's Court Correspondent Francesca Comyn.

Pictured above is Bernadette Smith