78-Year-Old Pastor Fined for Preaching John 3:16 Inside Hospital Buffer Zone

A 78-year-old retired pastor in Northern Ireland was convicted and fined £450 after reading John 3:16 within 100 meters of Causeway Hospital. He faced charges under a new safe access zone law introduced to protect patients seeking abortion services. District Judge Peter King ruled the sermon could have influenced or distressed protected persons. Bodycam footage shows an officer warning the pastor that any act in the buffer zone that might deter patients could be an offence. The pastor and faith advocates warn this ruling threatens free speech and religious liberty. They argue that peaceful public preaching of scripture should not be criminalized based on location. An appeal is under consideration, and human rights observers are monitoring the case for its potential impact on public expression and religious freedom in the UK.

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