Skip to main content
See every side of every news story
Published loading...Updated

Pastor guilty of conducting illegal abortion protest within 'safe access zone'

  • On Thursday, District Judge Peter King convicted 78-year-old retired pastor Clive Johnston of two charges under the Abortion Services Act for holding an open-air service near Causeway Hospital in Coleraine.
  • The 2023 legislation prohibits 'influencing' or 'impeding' people within 100 meters of abortion facilities; Johnston maintained he preached the gospel without mentioning abortion.
  • Finding Johnston 'reckless' regarding influence on potential clinic visitors, King noted the defendant deliberately ignored a police officer's command to leave the protected area to test the law's limits.
  • Johnston plans to appeal the conviction with support from The Christian Institute, facing a criminal record and £450 in fines after calling the ruling a 'dark day for Christian freedom.'
  • This conviction sets a precedent for criminalizing religious expression near clinics even when speech is unrelated to abortion, raising concerns about civil liberties and freedom of speech across the UK.
Insights by Ground AI

16 Articles

Lean Right

Pastor guilty of 'abortion safe zone' protest

·London, United Kingdom
Read Full Article
Think freely.Subscribe and get full access to Ground NewsSubscriptions start at $9.99/yearSubscribe

Bias Distribution

  • 67% of the sources lean Right
67% Right

Factuality Info Icon

To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium

Ownership

Info Icon

To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage

Irish News broke the news in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom on Thursday, May 7, 2026.
Too Big Arrow Icon
Sources are mostly out of (0)

Similar News Topics

News
Feed Dots Icon
For You
Search Icon
Search
Blindspot LogoBlindspotLocal