Pastor appeals conviction for preaching in abortion buffer zone

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 15 Oct, 22:09 · Archive

A retired pastor is appealing his conviction for preaching near an abortion clinic in a protected safe access zone.

Clive Johnston, aged 78, appeared in the Court of Appeal to challenge his conviction under the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act (Northern Ireland) 2023. The retired pastor was found guilty at Coleraine Magistrates' Court of breaching the law during an open-air service near Causeway Hospital in Coleraine on 7 July 2024. He was fined £450.

The safe access zone legislation aims to shield people attending or working at specific clinics from harassment, alarm or distress. Johnston was convicted of doing an act with the intention, or being reckless about whether it would influence a protected person attending the premises. He was also convicted of failing to comply with a direction to leave the zone.

Johnston's barrister, John Larkin KC, argued that his client should not have faced criminal punishment. He submitted that there was no legal proof that any protected person was present at the time of the sermon, which did not refer to termination services. The legislation requires that such a coincidence be established for a conviction.

The court heard that at least one person protected by the legislation was believed to have been at the hospital's facilities at some point on the day Johnston was preaching in the vicinity. However, his legal team contended this was insufficient evidence of wrongdoing.

Johnston, from Sion Mills in County Tyrone and a former President of the Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland, is seeking to overturn the verdict. The appeal centres on whether the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt given the legal requirement to establish that a protected person was present during the specific sermon.

How it is being reported

• Pastor Clive Johnston fights conviction over preaching in abortion buffer zoneClive Johnston, a former President of the Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland, is seeking to overturn the verdict that he broke the lawBelfast Live · 15 Oct, 16:21
• Retired pastor fights conviction over preaching in abortion buffer zone in Court of AppealBelfast Telegraph · 15 Oct, 15:23
• Pastor who preached gospel in abortion protest buffer zone to appear in Court of AppealA former president of Irish Baptists will appear in court tomorrow to appeal against his conviction for preaching in an abortion protest buffer zone in Coleraine.News Letter · 14 Oct, 13:28

In this story: Clive Johnston · Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland · Coleraine · Causeway Hospital · Court of Appeal · Northern Ireland

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