An army veteran who was fined for praying silently within an abortion clinic 'buffer zone' will not face criminal charges.
Adam Smith-Connor was approached six months ago by community safety officers near an abortion clinic in Bournemouth.
A Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) zone was imposed around the clinic by the local council last October banning prayer, counselling and acts of "approval/disapproval, with respect to issues related to abortion services, by any means".
Smith-Connor had been praying silently for his son who was aborted over 20 years ago and for the women, men, and children still being impacted by abortion today.
After being quizzed by community officers about his praying within the PSPO zone, he later received a letter from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council informing him that he was being fined and threatening criminal charges if he failed to comply.
After he launched legal action against the fine, his lawyers at the Alliance Defending Freedom UK (ADF UK) made submissions arguing that the state had no power to restrict thoughts directed towards God.
The police informed Smith-Connor that praying silently was not an offence in England and the council later decided not to pursue prosecution.
Smith-Connor has welcomed the outcome.
"Nobody should be criminalised for what they believe – especially not when they express that belief silently, in the privacy of their own minds," he said.
"I'm glad that, in my case, common-sense policing won the day. However, it's not right that I had to wait anxiously for a full six months for the authorities to determine my fate. The process, in essence, became my punishment.
"It's unthinkable that I was issued a penalty simply for praying about my own experience of abortion – having paid for my ex-girlfriend to have one – and my son, Jacob, whom I lost. The decision I made all those years ago now grieves me deeply.
"It isn't for the authorities to determine the contents of my thoughts on this matter, on a public street. I served in Afghanistan to defend democratic freedom – and yet, we see this encroachment on fundamental rights on the streets of Britain today."
ADF called it a win against "thought crime".
"But for the fact that he happened to be praying in his mind about abortion, Adam would not have been asked to leave," said Jeremiah Igunnubole, legal counsel for ADF UK.
"Were another person engaged in silent thought about another issue, such as climate change, within the PSPO censorship zone, then the Council officials would not have required them to leave. Adam was discriminated against in comparison to another person in an analogous situation based on his core faith-based beliefs."
The case has parallels with pro-life campaigner Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, who has been arrested twice in less than a year for praying silently near abortion clinics that have PSPOs in place.
In February, Birmingham Magistrates' Court cleared her of all charges relating to the first arrest, along with Catholic priest Fr Sean Gough, but she is still waiting to hear whether she will be criminally charged following her second arrest in March.
Igunnubole continued, "Fortunately, common-sense policing has prevailed today. Yet a lack of clarity in the law has meant that Adam and others have been left vulnerable to 'thought-policing,' which is irreconcilable with democracy.
"While we are pleased to see Adam walk free today, others such as Isabel Vaughan-Spruce and Father Sean Gough have had to face criminal trial for the same activity – praying silently in their minds near an abortion facility.
"The criminalisation of these volunteers should be a wake-up call to all those who value freedom of expression – even freedom of thought – no matter their views on abortion.
"We need clear laws that uphold fundamental rights, and more common-sense policing, executed swiftly, so that innocent people like Adam can continue to live their lives freely – and police address their focus to real crimes."
