A hearing has been held into the actions of a retired pastor who held an open-air sermon on the fringes of an abortion clinic buffer zone.
Clive Johnston, 76, has been accused of intentionally influencing a protected person, and for not immediately leaving the area when asked to do so by police. The service took place on a Sunday near the Causeway Hospital, Coleraine, Londonderry.
Johnston preached about the love of God, taking John 3:16 as his primary verse, an action which could lead to him being fined thousands of pounds. His sermon made no mention of abortion, nor were there any banners or placards during the service mentioning the subject.
After a hearing on Wednesday, District Judge Peter King deferred his decision, pending additional written submissions. Another court hearing has been scheduled for March 2026.
Johnston is the former President of the Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland. Speaking ahead of the hearing, he thanked supporters for their "kind messages of support" and prayers, and said he was looking forward "to defending myself in court".
Johnston is being supported by The Christian Institute, which is asking people to pray for his acquittal.
The organisation said he pleaded not guilty to “influencing” people accessing abortion services.
Simon Calvert, deputy director of the organisation, said, “Christians are pro-life. But preaching the good news about Christ is not the same thing as protesting against abortion."
