A retired pastor from has been convicted in what has been described as a “first-of-its-kind” prosecution for an open air church service under Northern Ireland’s abortion buffer zone laws.
Abortion protest buffer zones came into effect in Northern Ireland in 2023 as part of the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act NI 2023. The law means that hospitals and abortion centres become “protected premises” – with no public gatherings or protests allowed between 100m and 250m between entrances and exits of the premises.
At Coleraine Magistrates Court on Thursday, District Judge Peter King convicted retired Pastor Clive Johnston, giving him fines totalling £450 for breaching abortion ‘Safe Access Zones’ legislation.
Pastor Johnston was preaching from one of the well-known Bible verses, John 3:16, in the ‘Safe Access Zone’ outside Coleraine’s Causeway Hospital. The court heard that the 79-year-old had no banners or placards, and made no mention of – or allusion to – abortion during his preaching.
Abortion buffer zones are in place at the Causeway Hospital, with the zone marked with signage. Mr Johnston was convicted of doing an act in a safe access zone with “the intent of or being reckless as to whether it had the effect of influencing a protected person attending the premises.”
He was also found guilty of failing to comply with a direction to leave a safe access zone.
The judge said that Johnston was “a man of strong religious belief and good character.
He claimed that Johnston “is someone who in the past has been publicly associated with anti-abortion views.”
The former President of the Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland was present in court when the verdict was delivered.
‘WE MADE NO REFERENCE WHATSOEVER TO ABORTION’
Speaking following the verdict, Pastor Clive Johnston said it was “a dark day for Christian freedom.”
“I think this is a very dark day for Christian freedom,” he said. “We held a short, brief, open-air service near Coleraine Hospital. We made no reference whatsoever to abortion – and yet, the buffer zone law is so broad that holding a Sunday service has been found to be a criminal offence.
“At 78 years, I find myself for the first time convicted of a crime. I know it was an unusual place to hold an open air service – but that was the point.,” added Mr Johnston.
“There shouldn’t be any public spaces in Northern Ireland where you can be prosecuted and convicted simply for preaching the Gospel. If someone is out there causing trouble, stirring up violence, harassing or verbally attacking people, then absolutely go ahead and prosecute them. But I wasn’t doing any of those things as the police video shows, as everyone involved in this case accepts.
“Preaching John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believeth in him should not perish, but should have everlasting life. If there was ever a time when those near a hospital or far from a hospital needed to hear that message of hope, today is the day. And today in this court, this was criminalised.
“So we are going to go away now and discuss what to do next with our legal team. I am obviously keen to find out what options there might be for me to appeal,” he added.
“My wife Sheila and I want to take this opportunity to thank the many people who have supported us, especially my legal team, and also our brothers and sisters at The Christian Institute whose personal support has been invaluable.”
The Christian Institute, which supported the Pastor in the legal action, hit out at the ruling, describing it as an example of “creeping censorship.”
The organisation’s Director, Ciarán Kelly, said: “Despite assurances to the contrary when this legislation was being considered, we now see that an already controversial and deeply unjust law has now been selectively applied to criminalise gospel preaching.
“This is creeping censorship. If the ruling stands it will represent a shocking new restriction on freedom of religion and freedom of speech so we will be helping Clive to consider the options for appeal.”