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Police Apologise for Arresting Praying Woman
A Christian charity volunteer has received a £13,000 settlement and a formal apology from the police after claiming her arrest for silently praying outside an abortion clinic was unjust and violated her human rights.
The incident has been celebrated by campaigners, including Lord Frost, as a significant victory against censorship. However, there are growing concerns that potential government moves to ban silent prayer outside abortion clinics would threaten not just free speech, but also freedom of thought.
Isabel Vaughan-Spruce pursued legal action against West Midlands Police, citing wrongful arrest, false imprisonment, assault and battery related to an intrusive search, and a breach of her human rights. Her first arrest occurred in November 2022 while she was silently praying within a “buffer zone” around an abortion clinic in the Kings Norton area of Birmingham. This buffer zone was established through a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) by local authorities, which prohibited any expression of “approval or disapproval with respect to issues related to abortion services, by any means” within the clinic's vicinity.
In February 2023, Vaughan-Spruce was acquitted of all charges by Birmingham Magistrates' Court after the prosecution failed to provide evidence supporting the charges. She was supported in her legal defence by ADF UK, a faith-based legal advocacy organisation. Despite her acquittal, she was arrested again just weeks later for silently praying on a public street within the same buffer zone. During the arrest, a police officer stated, “You’ve said you’re engaging in prayer, which is the offence.”
A six-month police investigation followed, which ultimately resulted in all charges being dropped and a formal apology issued to Vaughan-Spruce for the extended legal ordeal. The case was resolved soon after Suella Braverman, then Home Secretary, clarified in an open letter to the police that silent prayer is “not unlawful.”
Reflecting on her experience, Vaughan-Spruce stated, “Nobody should be arrested for the thoughts they have in their heads. I am concerned that this violation could be repeated. Our culture is shifting towards a clampdown on viewpoint diversity.”