Retired pastor, 78, convicted and fined for preaching Bible verse near hospital -

A 78-year-old retired pastor has been convicted and fined for preaching near a hospital in Northern Ireland.

On May 7, District Judge Peter King at Coleraine Magistrates’ Court convicted Clive Johnston of breaching a “safe access zone” outside Causeway Hospital in Coleraine on July 7, 2024.

“Naturally, I was deeply saddened by the verdict,” Clive Johnston told Fox News Digital.

“At 78 years old, I never imagined I would leave a courtroom with a criminal conviction for preaching the Christian gospel. But beyond the personal impact, my overriding concern is what this says about the state of fundamental freedoms in our nation.”

Northern Ireland’s Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act prohibits “influencing,” “preventing or impeding access,” or “causing harassment, alarm or distress” to a protected person within 100 meters of facilities where abortions are performed.

Johnston was found guilty of “influencing” inside the protected zone and fined 450 pounds, or about $614 in American money.

He may be the first person prosecuted under the law for preaching a sermon that did not mention abortion, according to the faith-based advocacy group, the Christian Institute, which supported his legal case.

Johnston warned that convicting a person for publicly preaching one of the most well-known Bible passages sets a troubling precedent for religious liberty and free speech in the United Kingdom.