A Christian charity volunteer has once again found herself at the centre of controversy after West Midlands Police asked her to move, claiming her "mere presence" could cause "harassment, alarm, and distress."
Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, known for her pro-life advocacy, was silently praying near an abortion facility within a designated "buffer zone." These zones, covering a 150-metre radius around abortion clinics, are designed to prevent any behaviour that could intimidate or influence individuals seeking services. However, a police officer argued that Vaughan-Spruce's presence alone breached the legislation because "people know who she is."
Vaughan-Spruce recently received an apology and a £13,000 settlement from the police after being wrongfully arrested for silent prayer on previous occasions. She contends that the law targets actions, not personal beliefs, and that silently holding thoughts should not constitute a crime.
She is now urging the police to clarify whether simply being present within a buffer zone while holding specific beliefs amounts to a criminal offense. This follows her acquittal in February 2023 at Birmingham Magistrates' Court, where she was found not guilty of breaching buffer zone laws by praying silently in her mind.
Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) guidance issued in October 2024 states that silent prayer is "not necessarily" a crime within abortion buffer zones. It further clarifies that to meet the threshold for criminality, actions must be "overt."
Vaughan-Spruce says previous rulings and CPS guidance clearly show that you can't break the law “simply by existing” in a buffer zone while holding beliefs in your mind.
Speaking to Christian advocacy group ADF International, she added, “Every person has a right to stand in a public space and think what they want. The police officer told me that my 'mere presence' was offensive—that’s nothing short of viewpoint discrimination. He believes that just because I hold pro-life beliefs, I am automatically a criminal in certain public areas. This isn’t right.”
ADF International has called on the police to uphold fundamental rights, including freedom of speech, thought, and association.
“Nobody should be criminalised for publicly holding lawful views or associating with any lawful cause,” said ADF UK legal counsel Jeremiah Igunnubole.
Premier has contacted West Midlands Police for comment.
