Retired pastor guilty of abortion buffer zone breach

A retired pastor has been fined £450 after being found guilty of breaching abortion buffer zone laws by preaching biblical verses near a hospital.

Clive Johnston, 77, from Melmount Road, Sion Mills in County Tyrone, held an open-air service in a safe access zone within the vicinity of Causeway Hospital on 7 July 2024.

The former President of the Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland was at Coleraine Magistrates' Court, where the judgement was delivered, on Thursday.

Johnston was was convicted of doing an act in a safe access zone with the intent of or being reckless as to whether it had the effect of influencing a protected person attending the premises.

He was also found guilty of failing to comply with a direction to leave a safe access zone.

The court was told that at least one protected person was attending the hospital on the day.

Judge Peter King said Johnston had "tested the law to the point where he broke the law."

The £450 fine was for both offences.

'Strong religious belief and good character'

The judge said that Johnston was "a man of strong religious belief and good character.

"He is someone who in the past has been publicly associated with anti-abortion views," the judge said.

Coleraine Magistrates' Court was told that Johnston delivered a sermon at the event refraining from any mention of abortion, and that his decision to preach "was motivated by two reasons: to test the legislation and to influence anyone who heard him towards the Bible and the Christian message generally".

The judge added that Johnston deliberately placed himself within a safe access zone whilst being aware that he was at risk of breaching the law and without checking if abortion services were being provided that Sunday.

The court was told at least one protected person was accessing therapeutic aftercare as part of the Northern Trust's abortion service on the day.

The judge refused to refer the case to the court of appeal.