Last week, a judge at the Court of Protection gave the go ahead for a termination despite the woman’s mother and social worker pleading for the pregnancy to continue.

Specialists at the NHS said abortion was the best option.

The judge said some evidence in the case was “heartbreaking”.

Mrs Justice Lieven heard that the woman, who is in her twenties and is 22 weeks pregnant, had the mental age of a child between six and nine.

She said the woman did not have the mental capacity to make the decision, although evidence indicated that she wanted to keep the baby.

Bishop John Sherrington, who speaks on behalf of the Church on life issues, said the ruling infringes the human rights of both the mother and the unborn child.

He said: “Forcing a woman to have an abortion against her will, and that of her close family, infringes her human rights, not to mention the right of her unborn child to life in a family that has committed to caring for this child. In a free society like ours there is a delicate balance between the rights of the individual and the powers of the state.

“This is a sad and distressing decision for the whole family whom we keep in our prayers. This case, for which all the information is not available, raises serious questions about the meaning of ‘best interests’ when a patient lacks mental capacity and is subject to the court’s decision against her…

Ball was jailed in 2015 for sexually abusing 18 young men over three decades, but this was 20 years after allegations against him had been largely downplayed or overlooked by the church.

Bishop Peter Hancock, the Church of England’s lead safeguarding bishop, said: “We have been made aware of the death of Peter Ball and our prayers and thoughts are with everyone affected by this news.”

Church leaders are expected to make contact with Ball’s survivors and the Church will be offering support to his family as with anyone who is bereaved in the Church.

Ball, of Langport in Somerset, was Bishop of Lewes between 1977 and 1992 and Bishopof Gloucester from 1992 until he resigned the following year.

He was jailed for 32 months for offences against 18 teenagers and men over three decades. He was released in 2017.

Ball’s twin brother Michael was Bishop of Truro from 1990 to 1997.

Ball, who was a self-styled confidant to the Prince of Wales, was an example of how a senior member of the Anglican church “was able to sexually abuse vulnerable teenagers and young men for decades” while victims were largely ignored, according to a report by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) earlier this year.

In its scathing findings, the IICSA accused the Church of England of “putting its own reputation above the needs of victims” and offering secrecy and protection for…