Military veteran father-of-two, 50, charged with silently praying for his lifeless son close to an abortion clinic blasts police for ‘prosecuting thoughtcrimes’

A military veteran who served in Afghanistan has blasted police for ‘prosecuting thoughtcrimes’ after he was charged for silently praying for his lifeless son close to an abortion clinic.

Adam Smith-Connor, 50, claims he was approached by two council officers as he stood on the pavement outdoors the BPAS clinic on Ophir Highway in Bournemouth final 12 months. He alleges he was questioned about ‘the character of his prayer’.

Mr Smith-Connor, of Southampton, who mentioned his girlfriend had an abortion twenty years in the past, instructed the officers he was ‘praying for my son’, however considered one of them defined he was in breach of the phrases of a Public Areas Safety Order (PSPO).

The daddy-of-two and physiotherapist claims he was issued a high-quality for breaking a neighborhood ‘buffer zone’ regulation that reportedly forbids ‘expression of approval or disapproval’ of abortion. He pleaded not responsible to the cost in August this 12 months.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, which charged him with the offence, claims he refused to depart the required space when requested by an officer, failing to adjust to a requirement of the PSPO.

Now, forward of his court docket listening to subsequent week, Mr Smith-Connor has questioned how in an ‘apparently free society’ he may be ‘criminalised on the idea of what I expressed silently, within the privateness of my very own thoughts’.

Mr Smith-Connor, who served within the navy for 20 years, was confronted by police in November final 12 months as he silently prayed together with his again turned away from the clinic.

Physique digital camera footage seems to indicate police questioning the ‘nature’ of his prayers. He defined that he was praying concerning the lack of his son 22 years in the past and for individuals who are making choices about abortion at this time. 

He was then issued with a discover of a penalty high-quality of £100 which allegedly acknowledged that he was being charged for ‘praying for his deceased son’. 

He entered a ‘not responsible’ plea at Poole Magistrates Court docket in August and is due in court docket for a listening to on November 16.

Mr Smith-Connor is talking out towards the prosecution of so-called ‘thoughtcrimes’ within the UK.

‘No one must be prosecuted for silent prayer,’ he instructed MailOnline on Thursday. ‘It’s unfathomable that in an apparently free society, I’m being criminalised on the idea of what I expressed silently, within the privateness of my very own thoughts. 

‘I served for 20 years within the military reserves, together with a tour in Afghanistan, to guard the basic freedoms that this nation is constructed upon. 

‘It troubles me significantly to see our freedoms eroded to the extent that thoughtcrimes at the moment are being prosecuted within the UK.’

The veteran mentioned it’s ‘unthinkable’ that he was issued a penalty ‘merely’ for praying for Jacob, the son ‘I misplaced to an abortion I paid for’.

He added: ‘The resolution I made all these years in the past now grieves me deeply. I used to be praying additionally for these considering abortion, particularly these in susceptible conditions who consider abortion is their “solely alternative”. 

‘It is not for the authorities to find out the contents of my ideas on this matter, on a public avenue.’

Mr Smith-Connor is represented by ADF, a British department of the American conservative Christian authorized advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom, who’ve campaigned and lobbied towards the best to an abortion and towards the decriminalisation of homosexuality within the States. They’re a part of the worldwide organisation, ADF Worldwide, headquartered in Vienna, Austria.

Jeremiah Igunnubole, authorized counsel for ADF UK, argued that Mr Smith-Connor had been ‘criminalised for his beliefs.

He mentioned: ‘Adam is considered one of a number of people who’ve confronted a penalty for his or her “thoughtcrimes” on the streets of the UK this 12 months. 

‘This merely should not be taking place in a democratic society – all must be free to carry their very own beliefs within the privateness of their very own minds, together with reflections about their very own experiences of abortion.’

Mr Igunnubole alleged that if his consumer was ‘fascinated with a difficulty apart from abortion’ no problem would have been raised. 

‘In allowing the prosecution of silent prayer, we’re crusing into harmful waters concerning human rights protections within the UK,’ he mentioned 

‘Censorship zones are inherently improper and engender unhelpful authorized confusion concerning the best to free thought. 

‘Each home and worldwide regulation have lengthy established freedom of thought as an absolute proper that should not ever be interfered with by the state.’

A council spokesperson instructed MailOnline on Thursday that Mr Smith-Connor was charged with breaching a time period of the PSPO on August 9 this 12 months.

‘The allegations are that on twenty fourth November 2022 Mr Smith-Connor failed with out affordable excuse to adjust to a requirement of the Public Areas Safety Order (OPHIR ROAD AND SURROUNDING AREA) 2022, in that he failed to depart the required space when requested by an Authorised Officer,’ an announcement learn.

‘This was in breach of prohibition 4g of the mentioned Public Areas Safety Order (OPHIR ROAD AND SURROUNDING AREA) 2022.

‘Because of the ongoing authorized proceedings, the Council is unable to make an additional assertion in relation to this matter.’