A Catholic woman was arrested and searched for 'praying silently' near an abortion facility. Isabel Vaughan-Spruce was seen being detained by three police officers after saying that she “might be” praying inside her head inside a censorship zone surrounding the clinic.
She maintained the facility was closed during the time she was there and she was not protesting - something which would not be allowed under the strict rules of censorship zones. Now she, along with a priest - Father Sean Gough - who was charged for praying within the same censorship zone in Birmingham, have today been cleared at Birmingham Magistrates Court.
The area surrounding the facility nearby which the two prayed has been covered by a local Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), in force since November. This prohibits prayer, distributing information about pregnancy help services, and other activities considered to constitute “protest”.
