A former teacher, who was ordered by a female PC to stop preaching
outside Banbury Magistrates Court House, has had the charges of assault and
breach of the peace against him dismissed by Oxford Magistrates Court.
The officer approached Bill Edwards, aged 73, when he was preaching
outside the Courthouse, and asked him to move on as some people inside the
building found his preaching “offensive”.
However, he refused after which the PC told him that he would be
arrested. Bill followed her into the
police station a short distance away, where he was grabbed by 6 officers and
taken to the ground and arrested.
Yesterday (11th February) the District Judge at Oxford Magistrates
Court told Bill that he had no case to answer, and expressed doubt that the
officer had acted in the execution of her duty.
An application for a restraint order to prevent Bill from preaching
outside Banbury Court House was refused, and he was given an order for costs to
cover his travel expenses. Bill was
supported throughout the case by the Christian Legal Centre, and was
represented in court by allied solicitor to the CLC, Michael Phillips.
Help us keep supporting Christians like Bill
This is one of the many instances we have seen in recent times of heavy handed tactics by the police against lawful peaceful street preaching. The Christian Legal Centre recently supported street preacher Tony Miano, who appeared before Dundee Sheriff’s Court after being arrested for preaching on sexual sin in Scotland. In a free society, people should be able to share the gospel in the way they think best without being penalised.
See a similar case here
supported by Christian Concern.
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