Charges dropped against man praying outside abortion clinic covered by Public Spaces Protection Order

The Crown Prosecution Service has dropped charges against a man who was arrested when he was praying outside an abortion clinic that is covered by a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO).

Christian Hacking, 29 from London, was arrested by police on 8 August 2019 outside the Marie Stopes clinic on Mattock Lane in Ealing.

He subsequently pleaded not guilty and was due to go on trial on 5 November 2019 at Uxbridge Magistrates Court.

According to the Christian Legal Centre, who supported Mr Hacking, he has received a letter saying the case would no longer be taken forward due to there being not “enough evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction”.

In August this year the Court of Appeal unanimously dismissed an appeal over a High Court ruling that the PSPO made by Ealing Council and establishing the safe zone was lawful.

Andrea Williams, Chief Executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: “It is astonishing that vital police resources have been used to arrest and detain a man in a wheelchair for peacefully praying outside an abortion clinic.

“We call on Ealing Council to review their policy around the buffer zone and for free speech and free movement to be properly restored to the area.”