A Christian preacher from Wales appeared in court in London over a sign he held up outside an abortion clinic. Stephen Green held a pro-life sign with a religious on it in a zone where protests are prohibited by law, the PA news agency reports.

The west London zone, where he held up the sign in February last year, is covered by a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO). Green, 72 of Carmarthen, held what was described in court as a “large sign” containing the psalm text: “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.” For the latest court reports, sign up to our crime newsletter here.

He had pleaded not guilty to breaching the order and proclaimed his right to freedom of speech. But he was convicted at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, February 1 with District Judge Kathryn Verghis saying he had “pointedly and intentionally” included the words “in my mother’s womb” as “an act of protest”.

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She said those particular words, being displayed as they were in that zone outside an abortion clinic “amount to an expression of disapproval as envisaged by the order”. She noted that his protest had been peaceful but said she attached “great weight” to the fact it was possible for him to protest in an area other than that covered by the order.

The PSPO, enacted by Ealing Council in April 2018 outside the MSI Reproductive Choices Clinic in Mattock Lane, was the first so-called buffer zone surrounding an abortion clinic to be introduced in the UK. The court heard that clinic staff had to be diverted from their work to deal with the protest and that local residents had challenged Green, but that there was no evidence of any clinic patients suffering as a result on the day.

Green, whose lawyer indicated to the court that he intends to appeal against his conviction, was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £2,426 in costs and surcharge. Louise McCudden, UK head of external affairs at MSI Reproductive Choices, said: “People are fed up with seeing behaviour like Stephen Green’s in their communities, which is why Parliament voted to protect clinics across England and Wales.”

She said the verdict “shows why the national legislation must be implemented urgently in full, not watered down, so that no matter where in the country you live, you can access abortion care safe from harassment... We look forward to constructive engagement with the Home Office on their implementation and the ending of the current postcode lottery of protection around clinics”.

Campaigners have argued that PSPOs, the current system, depend on local councils' willingness, are timebound, can be expensive and result in a 'postcode lottery. The UK Government is working on guidance over Safe Access Zones, which could be permitted around abortion clinics under the Public Order Act 2023.

The relevant legislation covers England and Wales and contains powers to make it an offence to interfere with, intimidate or harass women accessing, or people providing, abortion services. On Wednesday, home secretary James Cleverly said his department is listening "very carefully" to consultation responses over guidance on implementing Safe Access Zones. Join our WhatsApp news community here for the latest breaking news

MPs voted against attempts to allow "silent prayer" outside clinics but the proposed guidance says prayer itself "should not automatically be seen as unlawful," and is only likely an offence where the person's "conduct is also intrusive." ' The guidance says an offence comes from an act "capable of influencing, obstructing or causing alarm, harassment or distress" to someone within a clinic or hospital, or in a public open space within 150 metres of one.

The draft guidance indicates that informing, discussing or offering help does not necessarily amount to "influence" under the Act - leading some pro-choice campaigners to claim it does not reflect the debate in Parliament. Mr Cleverly insisted the guidance that had gone out for consultation was a draft, rather than a final version., and told the Home Affairs Committee on Wednesday that the final guidance would reflect "the expressed will of Parliament" and the feedback from the consultation.