PinkybirdGetty Images A senior staff member at the government’s Home Office has been accused of spiking his mistress’ drink with abortion pills to avoid his “double life crashing down”.43-year-old Darren Burke, who is married with one child, allegedly purchased the abortion pills online and laced Laura Slade’s drink in the hopes of inducing a miscarriage. Burke and Slade met in 2005, later embarking on an affair in 2015. Their romance remained a secret, but in November 2020 Slade fell pregnant and met with Burke about their options, according to The Mirror.