A street preacher is set to appear in court this week after he was accused of attempting to influence women near an abortion clinic with his sermon.
Clive Johnston, aged 77, is due before the courts on Wednesday, facing prosecution under abortion buffer zone legislation, despite his open-air sermon making no reference to early terminations.
The case has attracted international attention, with the US State Department describing the prosecution as "concerning" and confirming it is actively monitoring proceedings against the former church leader.
The incident occurred on July 7, 2024, when Mr Johnston held an outdoor service on the edge of a designated safe access zone, positioned across a dual carriageway from the hospital.
Under the legislation, it constitutes a criminal offence for individuals within the 100-150 metre buffer zones surrounding hospitals and abortion clinics to be "impeded, recorded, influenced or to be caused harassment, alarm or distress".
Prosecutors allege the grandfather of seven sought to influence those accessing abortion services and failed to leave immediately when officers requested he do so.
Notably, the charges do not include accusations of harassment or obstruction, and no abortion-related placards or banners were present during the service.
American officials have expressed alarm at the prosecution, with the State Department confirming it continues to observe multiple buffer zone cases across the United Kingdom alongside what it termed other censorship matters throughout Europe.
Clive Johnston is set to appear in court this week following his preaching outside an abortion clinic
|THE CHRISTIAN INSTITUTE
A spokesman for the US government told The Daily Telegraph: "The United States is still monitoring many buffer zone cases in the UK, as well as other acts of censorship throughout Europe."
The spokesman also referenced the separate case of Isabel Vaughan-Spruce.
"The UK's persecution of silent prayer represents not only an egregious violation of the fundamental right to free speech and religious liberty," they said.
"There is a concerning departure from the shared values that ought to underpin US-UK relations."
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Clive Johnston could be penalised with thousands of pounds of penalties if convicted
|THE CHRISTIAN INSTITUTE
Simon Calvert, Deputy Director, condemned the prosecution as "a shocking new attempt to restrict freedom of religion and freedom of speech in a part of the world where open air gospel services are a part of the culture".
He argued delivering the Christian message differs fundamentally from demonstrating against abortion, stating: "Christians are pro-life.
"But preaching the good news about Christ is not the same thing as protesting against abortion.
"The Police and the Public Prosecution Service are overstepping the mark."
Should Mr Johnston be found guilty, the pensioner who has no previous criminal history faces a record and fines potentially running into thousands of pounds.
Mr Johnston previously told The Christian Institute: "We were a bit overwhelmed by the fact that we had a number of police cars going up and down past us all the time, and then a number of police got out of their cars and they stood there, obviously listening and filming what we were doing.
"There were three of them that walked across the street and stood in front of us, before Inspector O’Brien interrupted and politely asked us to stop.
"He said that he did believe, after I refused to move, that I had broken the law on Safe Zones. I couldn’t understand this, but I was cautioned and I was then told to leave."
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