Despite statutory time limit, UK charges man for silent prayer at abortion facility

Adam Smith-Connor, a man who says he lost his son to abortion, is facing criminal charges in the United Kingdom in an unexpected turn of events following his decision to pray outside of a clinic.

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) UK, which is representing Smith-Connor, said last month that he was in the clear given that authorities hadn’t pursued prosecution within what the law firm said was the statutory time limit. He’s expected to enter a not guilty plea at his hearing on August 9.

“Despite the Council being legally required to notify Smith-Connor of the summons as soon as possible, they did not do so, nor did they engage in any other form of communication with him until 19th July 2023 – eight weeks after the elapse of the statutory time-limit for charging him, and almost ten weeks after the charge was issued,” an ADF UK release from last week reads.

Smith-Connor received a fine in December of 2022 for allegedly violating a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in Bournemouth. Purported video of his encounter with police shows an officer noting that the PSPO mentions prayer. 

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More specifically, the order prohibits “protesting, namely engaging in an act of approval/disapproval or attempted act of approval/disapproval, with respect to issues related to abortion services, by any means. This includes but is not limited to graphic, verbal or written means, prayer or counselling.” It also forbids “holding vigils’ where members audibly pray, recite scripture, genuflect, sprinkle holy water on the ground or cross themselves if they perceive a service-users is passing by.”

ADF UK suggested Smith-Connor’s prosecution was in line with other attempts to punish pro-life “thought crime.”

Jeremiah Igunnubole, legal counsel for ADF UK, argued, “In permitting the prosecution of silent prayer, we are sailing into dangerous waters regarding human rights protections in the UK. Censorship zones are inherently wrong and engender unhelpful legal confusion regarding the right to free thought. Both domestic and international law have long established freedom of thought as an absolute right that must not ever be interfered with by the state.”

The Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council defended the PSPO, citing “distress” caused by pro-life demonstrations.

“Whilst we acknowledge the right of anyone to conduct a peaceful protest, we had to balance this against the distress caused or likely to be caused, and the detrimental impact of behaviours experienced by those accessing medical services or doing their jobs,” Councillor Bobbie Dove said.

“The conclusion I arrived at is a balanced and proportionate decision that will benefit the clinic’s users, its staff and the residents living on roads that surround the clinic. I thank everyone who either took part in the consultation, or wrote to me, for their time and views on this very difficult and sensitive matter.”

The U.S. has similarly seen recent attempts to crack down on pro-life advocacy with two states – Vermont and Illinois – passing laws targeting crisis pregnancy centers. Those were challenged in lawsuits and last week a federal judge granted an injunction against Illinois’ law.