A Christian charity volunteer has been awarded a £13,000 payout and an apology from police after being arrested for praying silently outside an abortion clinic.
Isabel Vaughan-Spruceissued a claim against West Midlands Police for two wrongful arrests and false imprisonments; assault and battery in relation to an intrusive search of her person; and for a breach of her human rights in 2022 and 2023.
Ms Vaughan-Spruce was first arrested in November 2022 for praying in a 'buffer zone' outside the BPAS Robert Clinic in Kings Norton,Birmingham.
Just weeks after she was found not guilty by Birmingham Magistrates Court, she was arrested a second time for silently praying outside the same clinic in February 2023.
Officers from West Midlands Police told her at the time that 'engaging in prayer'was 'the offence' after she insisted she was 'not protesting'.
But Police later said 'there will be no further investigation' into the incident and apologised to her.
Now, Ms Vaughan-Spruce, who is the director of anti-abortion group March for Life UK, has received a £13,000 payout after pursuing a claim against West Midlands Police.
Isabel Vaughan-Spruce (pictured arriving at Birmingham Magistrates' Court) has been issued a £13,000 payout and an apology from West Midlands Police
Isabel Vaughan-Spruce issued a claim against West Midlands Police for two wrongful arrests and false imprisonments; assault and battery in relation to an intrusive search of her person; and for a breach of her human rights in 2022 and 2023
It comes just days after reports the Government is considering formally criminalising silent prayer outside abortion clinics, with new legislation set to come into force.
Lord Frost, a former Conservative cabinet minister, has said that if the reports are correct, 'then not just freedom of speech, but freedom of thought will be under threat'.
Speaking about Ms Vaughan-Spruce's case, Lord Frost said: 'It is incredible that people have been arrested for thoughtcrime in modern Britain. I am very glad Ms Vaughan-Spruce has received compensation for her unjust arrest for this so-called offence.
'But if a recent report is correct that the Government is considering formally criminalising silent prayer outside abortion centres, then there will be further such cases, and then not just freedom of speech but freedom of thought will be under threat. It is hard to imagine a more absurd and dangerous situation.
'It would be much better to stick to the sensible approach in the previous Home Secretary's draft guidance, which proposed a much better balance between the various competing rights and interests. If the government scraps it, then it will be clear to all that its commitment to civil liberties and fundamental freedoms is paper-thin.'
Ms Vaughan-Spruce said 'silent prayer is not a crime' and that nobody should be arrested for the thoughts they have in their heads, according to The Telegraph.
Ms Vaughan-Spruce and Father Sean Gough speaking outside Birmingham Magistrates Court on February 16, 2023
She said: 'There is no place for in 21st-century Britain, and thanks to legal support I received from ADF UK, I'm delighted that the settlement that I have received today acknowledges that.
'Yet despite this victory, I am deeply concerned that this violation could be repeated at the hands of other police forces. Our culture is shifting towards a clampdown on viewpoint diversity, with Christian thought and prayer increasingly under threat of censorship.'
According to ADF International, Lord Michael Farmer, former treasurer of the Conservative Party said people 'should be horrified at its citizens being arrested for their silent thoughts or prayer'.
He said: 'What happened to Isabel Vaughan-Spruce was a travesty of justice and it is right that West Midlands Police make some compensation for the hardship she has endured.
'But the wider issue remains that we are living through an undemocratic clampdown on Christian speech, expression and thought in the UK which is set to intensify when the government rolls out 'buffer zones' nationwide. If pro-life thought is considered prosecutable today, what other thought crimes might face similar measures tomorrow?'
A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said: 'A Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) was introduced by Birmingham City Council in 2022 to deter protesters and protect the public from intimidation that their presence causes following numerous complaints from residents in Station Road, Kings Norton dating back to 2021.
'A member of the public who had been arrested on suspicion of breaching the PSPO subsequently made a civil claim for unlawful arrest, assault and a breach of their human rights. We have now settled that claim without any admission of liability.
'We continue to liaise with Birmingham City Council and listen to the feedback from residents in the area.'
