Culprit: Christian man accused of praying near abortion center

A British army veteran who served in Afghanistan was today found guilty of silently praying near an abortion clinic in England.

Adam Smith-Connor breached a public spaces protection order with this action, according to the ruling of Poole Magistrates’ Court in the town of Poole, near Bournemouth, Dorset, England. The court granted Smith-Connor a conditional discharge, meaning he will only be sentenced if he is convicted of future crimes within the next two years.

“Today, the court ruled that certain thoughts – silent thoughts – may be illegal in the UK,” Smith-Connor said after the court’s ruling. “That can’t be right. All I did was pray to God, in the privacy of my mind, and yet I was convicted as a criminal?

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The court found Smith-Connor guilty of an act of “disapproval of abortion,” even though he was only thinking about his son, who had been aborted many years earlier, according to Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International.

Smith-Connor bowed his head slightly and clasped his hands together in prayer on a public lawn in a buffer zone near the abortion facility on Orphir Road, Bournemouth, in November 2022. During a confrontation with police officers that he recorded, they asked him: “What is the nature of your prayer?”

The buffer zone had previously been legalized under a Public Spaces Protection Order enforced on streets near the abortion clinic. The intent of the buffer zone was to prevent pro-life beliefs from being expressed near the facility, including offering help or prayers to women experiencing crisis pregnancies, according to a news release from ADF International.

Defense attorneys argued that Smith-Connor’s prayerful thoughts, beliefs and opinions were not a crime, especially as he stood peacefully and quietly on a public street. He stayed behind a tree, didn’t speak to anyone and had his back to the installation.

The court also ordered the father of two to pay legal costs of £9,000 ($11,700).

Smith-Connor reflected on the verdict given by a court representing the country he fought for as a soldier.

“I served for 20 years in the Army Reserves, including a tour in Afghanistan, to protect the fundamental freedoms upon which this country is built,” he said. “I continue this spirit of service as a healthcare professional and church volunteer. It bothers me greatly to see our freedoms eroded to such an extent that thought crimes are now being prosecuted in the UK.”

Following the decision, Jeremiah Igunnubole, legal advisor at ADF UK, called the result a “legal turning point of immense proportions”.

“A man was sentenced today because of the content of his thoughts – of his prayers to God – on the public streets of England,” Igunnubole said. “We can hardly sink further into our neglect of basic fundamental freedoms of speech and thought.”

ADF International will closely review the sentence and consider appeal options, he said.

“Human rights are for all people – regardless of your opinion on abortion,” said Igunnubole.

Sir Edward Leigh, “Father of the House of Commons”, i.e. the oldest member of parliament, expressed outrage at the result.

“It is shameful that in Britain in 2024 someone could be put on trial for praying silently in their head,” said Leigh. “Unfortunately, we have seen repeated instances of freedom of speech being threatened in the UK when it comes to the expression of Christian beliefs. Offering a prayer silently deep in your heart cannot be an offense. The government must urgently clarify that freedom of thought is protected as a basic human right.”

ADF International claimed that Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council spent £90,000 ($116,990 USD) prosecuting the former soldier for praying, which carried a maximum penalty of £1,000 ($1,300 USD).

Former UK Member of Parliament Miriam Cates has hit back at funds being spent on unheard cases.

“This is not 1984, but 2024. No one should be judged by the mere thoughts they have in their mind,” Cates said. “It is outrageous that the local council is investing taxpayers’ money into prosecuting a thought crime at a time when resources are scarce.”

Buffer zone regulations are disproportionately broad, leaving innocent people vulnerable to prosecution just for offering help or simply maintaining their own beliefs, she said.

Five UK councils implement buffer zones near abortion clinics, and the recently elected Labor government has promised to implement zones near abortion clinics across the country under the Public Order Act of 31 October. access to abortion services, according to ADF International.

Igunnubole noted the discrepancies in the interpretation of what “influence” means.

“We all influence each other’s decisions all the time – whether it’s through a parent’s advice, a friend’s concern or information made available through a charity volunteer,” he said. “But the Public Order Act is so vaguely written that these peaceful, affectionate, everyday conversations could become illegal on certain streets in England when it comes to discussing abortion.”

Igunnubole referred to international law that protects freedom of thought and expression, arguing that these allowed for consensual conversations or silent prayers.

“However, the lack of clarity in the law could result in many more citizens, like Adam, being questioned or even charged for simply directing silent thoughts to God,” he said. “This is a defining moment for British freedoms and one that the public should not take lightly.”

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, director of the pro-life organization UK March for Life, recently received compensation after police officers arrested her for praying near an abortion clinic.

Originally published on Christian Daily International