Clive Johnston Fined £450 for Preaching Biblical Verses Near Causeway Hospital Abortion Zone
Clive Johnston, a 78-year-old retired pastor from Sion Mills, County Tyrone, has been convicted and fined £450 for violating safe access zone legislation by preaching biblical verses near Causeway Hospital. The judgement, delivered at Coleraine Magistrates' Court, found Johnston guilty of two offences: performing an act within a safe access zone with intent to influence, or being reckless as to whether it influenced, a protected person; and failing to comply with a direction to leave the zone.
The court heard that on 7 July 2024, Johnston held an open-air service within a designated safe access zone. Judge Peter King stated that Johnston, a man of strong religious conviction and good character, had "tested the law to the point where he broke the law." Although Johnston's sermon reportedly made no explicit mention of abortion, the court accepted that his motivation was to both test the new legislation and to disseminate the Christian message. At least one individual accessing therapeutic aftercare as part of the Northern Trust's abortion service was present at the hospital on the day in question.
Johnston, a former President of the Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland, characterised the conviction as a "very dark day for Christian freedom." He expressed his disappointment at being convicted of a crime at 78 years of age for preaching a Bible verse, John 3:16, which speaks of hope. The judge declined to refer the case to the Court of Appeal. Abortion protest buffer zones, designed to prevent anti-abortion demonstrations directly outside health clinics providing abortion services, were implemented in Northern Ireland in 2023, following legislation passed at Stormont in 2022.
The Christian Institute, which has provided support to Johnston, stated the ruling was "disappointing" and suggested it represented a "shocking restriction on religious liberty, on freedom of speech." The organisation confirmed it would be exploring options for an appeal with Johnston's legal team.
