Christian Army Veteran Tried For Praying Silently In Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone

The trial into an army veteran’s silent prayer near an abortion clinic has begun at Poole Magistrates’ Court.

Adam Smith-Connor was handed a fixed penalty notice on 13 December 2022 after allegedly breaching the ‘buffer zone’ at an abortion clinic in Bournemouth the previous month.

He told police he had “prayed for his dead son,” who had been aborted by an ex-girlfriend, a decision he now regrets.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council has filed a complaint against Smith-Connor for praying within the buffer zone. The buffer zone prohibits a number of pro-life activities, including prayer and offering help to women facing unwanted pregnancies.

The three-day trial is due to end on Thursday.

Speaking before the hearing, Smith-Connor said opinions or beliefs held in people’s minds should not be a crime.

“No one should be prosecuted for praying silently. It is inconceivable that in a seemingly free society I should be criminally prosecuted for my silent thoughts, in the privacy of my mind. It is no different than being tried for a thought crime,” he said.

“I served for 20 years in the Army Reserve, including a tour in Afghanistan, to protect the fundamental freedoms on which this country is built. I continue to demonstrate that spirit of service as a healthcare professional and a church volunteer. It deeply troubles me to see our freedoms eroded to the point that thought crimes are now prosecuted in the UK.”

Smith-Connor is supported by the Alliance Defending Freedom UK (ADF UK), which said the case exposed confusion among British police officers about the position of the law on silent prayer.

Jeremiah Igunnubole, ADF UK’s legal adviser, said: “In various other circumstances, the police and the courts have made it clear that silent prayer is not a criminal act. And yet the BCP Council, which has already conceded that presence is not in itself an offence, has introduced a restrictive zone of censorship of rights, which it now claims extends to a ban on silent prayer.

“By allowing silent prayers to continue, we are navigating dangerous waters when it comes to the protection of human rights in the UK. Censorship zones are inherently wrong and create unnecessary legal confusion about the right to freedom of thought. National and international law has long established freedom of thought as an absolute right that must never be interfered with by the state.

“The Telegraph “It has recently been reported that ministers are considering criminalising ‘silent prayer’ in their ‘buffer zone’ guidelines – this would not only be a legal error but could also pave the way for human rights abuses similar to those suffered by Adam Smith-Connor.”