78-year-old Pastor criminalised for preaching near Northern Ireland hospital

Christian Institute Director Ciaran Kelly commented on the case of a 78-year-old retired pastor who was convicted and fined for delivering a gospel sermon near a hospital in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland’s Abortion Services Act prohibits influencing or causing harassment, alarm, or distress to a protected person within 100 meters of facilities where abortions are performed.

“He went there deliberately, not so much to test the law as to demonstrate that the law doesn’t or at least shouldn’t be outlawing gospel in these areas,” Mr Kelly told Sky News host Rowan Dean.

“The law is pretty vague, and that’s part of the problem; it’s written in such a vague way that it’s not just Bible preaching or religious services.

“In a nutshell, this is a man who was not talking about abortion who is being criminalised by breaching an abortion law.”