A Christian street preacher who was accused of making Islamophobic comments to a Muslim family has been cleared of harassment charges.
The family accused Shaun O’Sullivan of saying “We love the Jews”, "Jew haters,” and “Palestine lovers” as they passed him while he was street preaching in Swindon town centre on 15 September 2024.
A 999 call handler categorised the family's complaint as a "hate claim", according to the Christian Legal Centre (CLC), which is supporting Mr O'Sullivan. He later faced charges of religiously aggravated intentional harassment under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.
Mr O'Sullivan 36, was found not guilty by a jury at Swindon Crown Court after a trial that lasted six days.
Speaking after the not guilty verdict, O’Sullivan said: “I was once lost, but Christ changed everything. My heart is to share the good news and love all people. I never intended harm. This case shows how vital it is to protect freedom of speech and Christian freedom.”
The CLC said the case "raised serious questions about freedom of speech and the policing of so-called 'hate claims'."
During the trial, his defence argued that any comments made by the street preacher had formed part of a wider public address on religious and political issues, and should not be interpreted as a direct verbal attack. The jury also heard how street preachers played a role historically in the evolution of free speech rights in Britain.
The defence further warned that prosecuting robust public debate risks criminalising protected speech under Articles 9, 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
CLC chief executive Andrea Williams said the case "highlights the dangers of policing ‘hate incidents’ based on perception alone".
"We must ensure that robust public debate, especially on matters of Christian faith, is not silenced," she said.
“In this instance, the decision to log a 'hate claim' was based solely on a single phone call. This was another example of police overreach and the chilling effect on free speech. The acquittal is not just a personal vindication for Shaun but a reminder of the fragile state of fundamental freedoms in our country right now.
“Shaun loves Jesus and he wants to reach the public with the hope that has transformed his life. He, and other Christian preachers, must have the freedom to do that without fear of being prosecuted and dragged before a judge and jury.”
