Woman caught silently praying exterior an abortion clinic denies breaking Public Order Act in courtroom
A woman who says she was silently praying outside an abortion clinic has denied breaking the Public Order Act.
Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, 48, from Malvern, Worcestershire, has been accused of trying to influence those accessing an abortion clinic in Birmingham.
The charges, read out at the city’s Magistrates Court, said she had been standing within a ‘safe access zone’ around the Robert Clinic on five occasions last year.
It added that her presence had either been intended or was reckless as to whether it had the effect of influencing any person’s decision to access or facilitate the provision of abortion services.
Vaughan-Spruce, dressed in a short-sleeved black and brown hooped dress, spoke only to give her name, date of birth and address and to deny the charge.
Her lawyer, Annie Fendrich said the issues in the case would be whether her conduct was covered by Section nine of the Public Order Act of 2023, whether it was intentional and whether it violated her human rights.
Section 9 of the Public Order Act 2023, which came into force on October 31, 2024, made it an offence for a person who is within a safe access zone of 150 metres from any part of an abortion clinic to influence, obstruct or harass anyone accessing the facility in England and Wales.
Original plans for a five-day trial were quashed by His Honour Judge Tanwer Ikram, who said that because the facts of the case are not in dispute, five planned prosecution witnesses would not be required. He set a trial date for October 6 with a time span of four days.
Isabel Vaughan-Spruce arrives at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court, has been accused of trying to influence those accessing an abortion clinic in Birmingham. Pictured: Vaughan-Spruce arriving at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court
Vaughan-Spruce, a charitable volunteer, was acquitted in court in 2023 after being arrested for praying in a local ‘buffer zone’, under a Public Spaces Protection Order that banned ‘expressions of approval or disapproval’ of abortion.
The incident occurred while the abortion facility was closed. The prosecution offered no evidence to support a conviction.
Despite being cleared of any wrongdoing, Vaughan-Spruce was arrested again for her silent thoughts in the same location weeks later in March 2023, opening an investigation that lasted several months.
In August 2024, she successfully challenged her two unjust arrests and received a settlement from West Midlands Police of £13,000.
