Catholic Woman and Priest Prosecuted for ‘Silently Praying’ Outside Abortion Clinic Are Cleared

Father Sean Gough (centre), a Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, and Isabel Vaughan-Spruce at Birmingham Magistrates' Court where they are accused of protesting outside an abortion clinic inside a Birmingham abortion facility censorship zone. PA Media

Anti-abortion activists, a charity volunteer and a priest, who were prosecuted for “silently praying” and breaching an order outside an abortion facility have both been acquitted of all charges.

Father Sean Gough and Isabel Vaughan-Spruce were both cleared in a ruling handed down by Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, the leader of the pro-life group 40 Days for Life Birmingham, was arrested on Dec. 6 in Birmingham and charged on Dec. 15 with four counts of failing to comply with a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO).

At the time, Vaughan-Spruce told The Epoch Times that said she was asked by police if she was praying. She said that she might be “silently in her head,” after which she was arrested.

Father Sean Gough was charged with “intimidating service-users” of the abortion facility for praying within the same zone in Birmingham.

He claimed that he remained silent, but held a sign reading “praying for free speech.” He also had a further charge related to parking his car, which had a small “unborn lives matter” bumper sticker on it.

Dropped

Pro-life campaigner Isabel Vaughan-Spruce in an undated file photo. Courtesy of ADF UK

In February, Vaughan-Spruce had her charges dropped, but her legal team warned that they could be reinstated.

On Thursday, prosecutor Ekene Pruce said both cases had been judged not to meet the “full code test” for prosecutors, which assesses whether prosecutions are in the public interest and if there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.

Reacting to the verdict, Vaughan-Spruce told The Epoch Times by email that they “dropped the charges citing lack of evidence which left me in limbo as they could take up the charges again.”

“Now we have a formal ‘Not Guilty’ verdict which is what we were seeking, not just for myself but others who believe in this cause,” she said.

“I am delighted to have been completely vindicated of all wrongdoing, not just for myself but for all those who pray and offer help outside abortion centres,” she said.

“It is important that all our laws continue to protect our most fundamental freedoms. Justice has triumphed today, we pray it will continue to do so,” added Vaughan-Spruce.

‘Buffer Zone’

A “buffer zone” is an area within a boundary of 150 metres from any part of an abortion clinic. Breaking a PSPO can lead to a fixed penalty notice or prosecution.

Normally used for substance abuse and criminality issues, PSPOs create zones that enable local authorities to prevent certain anti-social activities from taking place in an area.

Prohibited in such zones are protesting and “engaging in an act of approval/disapproval or attempted act of approval/disapproval, with respect to issues related to abortion services.”

Other banned acts include prayers, counselling, holding vigils where members audibly pray, reciting scripture, genuflecting, sprinkling holy water on the ground, or crossing themselves if they perceive a service user is passing by.

Vaughan-Spruce and Gough were supported by ADF UK, the British branch of the U.S. faith-based legal advocacy organisation Alliance Defending Freedom.

In a statement, Jeremiah Igunnubole, legal counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom International said that if “Isabel or Fr Sean had stood in the same spot thinking different thoughts, they likely wouldn’t have been arrested.”

“Today’s court case is of great cultural significance. This isn’t 1984, but 2023, nobody should be criminalised for their thoughts, for their prayers, for peaceful expression on a public street.

“We all stand firmly against harassment on public streets. Harassment is already illegal,” he said.

Public Order Bill

Katherine O’Brien, associate director of communications and campaigns at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service previously told The Epoch Times that “clinic harassment has an impact disproportionate to the behaviour involved, largely because of the lack of ability to avoid the activity while women and providers have to walk past them to access the clinic, the confidential nature of medical care, and the heightened emotional state of many clients.”

In early February, the amendment to the Public Order Bill, which will make pro-life protests and vigils around clinics a criminal offence in England and Wales, was backed by the House of Lords.

The Conservative government’s Bill was designed to strengthen police powers against disruptive tactics by climate activists such as Extinction Rebellion, Just Stop Oil, and Insulate Britain.

If passed, anyone within the buffer zone seeking to influence a woman’s decision to attend abortion services could face criminal charges and up to six months in jail for a first offence, or two years for further offences.

Amendment 45 was agreed on, in which a clause—if the Bill is passed in its current state—will criminalise anyone who acts “with the intent of, or reckless as to whether it has the effect of influencing any person’s decision to access, provide or facilitate the provision of abortion services.”

PA Media contributed to this report.