A woman arrested twice for silently praying outside an abortion clinic, who received a £13,000 payout in acknowledgement of her unjust treatment, has become the first person in Britain to be charged under new buffer zone laws.
Abortion buffer zones came into force in October 2024 outside abortion clinics in England and Wales, criminalising offering vital support to women, and amid confusion about precisely what activities are prohibited outside abortion clinics.
Director of the March For Life UK, Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, had previously been arrested twice for silently praying outside an abortion clinic in Birmingham, but West Midlands Police subsequently apologised and gave her a £13,000 payout. However, after being investigated for a third time, West Midlands Police have decided to charge Vaughan-Spruce.
While Vaughan-Spruce has been arrested on previous occasions, she has never been charged with a crime. Individuals are arrested if they are suspected of committing a crime, allowing police to question them and gather evidence. After being arrested, individuals can be either released or charged with committing a crime. Despite Vaughan-Spruce not having been charged on previous occasions, following several months of consideration by prosecutors, she has now been charged.
Speaking at the time of the arrest, Vaughan-Spruce said “Despite being fully vindicated multiple times after being wrongfully arrested for my thoughts, it’s unbelievable that two and a half years later, I am still being harassed by police for silently praying in that area, and yet again find myself under investigation for the same prayers I have said for twenty years”.
“Silent prayer cannot possibly be a crime – everyone has the right to freedom of thought”.
Vaughan-Spruce is due to appear at Birmingham magistrates’ court on 29 January and, if she is found guilty, could face an unlimited fine.
Pro-lifers “shouldn’t be treated as criminals for simply being on a public street”
Vaughan-Spruce was first arrested in November 2022 after she told police she “might” be silently praying whilst she was standing on a public street near an abortion clinic in Birmingham. She had no signs or outward expression of political views of any kind. She was in complete silence. Police officers, who had received a complaint from an onlooker, approached her and began to ask her what she was doing.
She was searched, arrested and then interrogated. Police showed her pictures of herself standing near the clinic and asked her if she was praying. Vaughan-Spruce said she “might” have been praying but could not recall if she was praying at these specific moments, or whether she was thinking about something else, such as her lunch.
Even though she was acquitted of all charges in February 2023, she was arrested again, just weeks later, for allegedly breaching a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), which bans protests outside abortion clinics within a designated area.
In September 2023, West Midlands Police issued an apology to Vaughan-Spruce and confirmed that they would not be bringing charges against her. The same police force gave her a £13,000 payout in acknowledgement of her unjust treatment in August 2024.
Following the latest investigation, pro-life group March For Life UK criticised the actions of West Midlands Police, saying “What’s the apology and settlement for if the harassment by police still continues? [Pro-lifers] shouldn’t be treated as criminals for simply being on a public street”.
Spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Catherine Robinson, said “It is disappointing to learn that West Midlands Police have made the decision to charge Isabel Vaughan-Spruce for allegedly silently praying in the vicinity of a facility where abortions are performed”.
“The charge against Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, who has at no point intimidated or harassed anyone, is unacceptable and highlights the confusion surrounding the buffer zone legislation. The police are using this dangerous law to target innocent people for simply holding private pro-life thoughts in their minds”.
“This censorship is totally unjust and unnecessary, and the charge against Vaughan-Spruce’s innocent activities should be dropped immediately”.
