Street preachers in legal battle to prevent council criminalising Christianity
A group of street preachers are at the centre of what is believed to be an unprecedented legal battle with a local authority which has tried to impose an injunction, without proper consultation, that would criminalise Christian prayer, singing and evangelism. Following an intervention by the Christian Legal Centre and local politicians, preachers have managed ...
31 March 2025 Articles
Street preachers share powerful testimonies of finding Christ
The Bible was once revered in the courtroom; now it’s accused of being ‘abusive’ and ‘no longer appropriate in modern society’. With thanks to support from the Christian Legal Centre, two street preachers have recently won their cases, having both been accused of ‘hate speech’ after quoting the Bible and explaining who God is. Freedom ...
5 December 2022 Articles
Bristol street preachers win permission to appeal over police arrests
Four Christian preachers have won the right to appeal a judgment that ruled they had been lawfully arrested for preaching in Bristol City Centre. Supported by the Christian Legal Centre, the four preachers – Mike Overd, Don Karns, Mike Stockwell and AJ Clarke – had originally brought claims against Avon and Somerset police for: assault, false ...
19 October 2021 Articles
Victory as magistrates rule street preachers were free to evangelise in lockdown
London magistrates have thrown out a case against a Christian preacher, who was fined and prosecuted by the Metropolitan police for evangelising on Good Friday, 2020. Joshua Sutcliffe, 31, along with one socially distanced friend, was preaching and handing out leaflets in Camden, North London, on 10 April 2020 when the two of them were ...
23 July 2021 Articles
Crazy cathedrals and stately street preachers
Christian Concern Communications Manager, Paul Huxley, comments on Norwich Cathedral’s recent decision to install a helter skelter ride in its nave. What’s wrong with putting crazy golf courses and helter skelters in cathedrals? The decision of Norwich Cathedral to install a helter skelter in its nave has ignited debate about the role of cathedrals in ...
12 August 2019 Articles
Two street preachers questioned over hate speech have all charges dropped
David Barker, who has been a street preacher for 30 years, and Stephen Wan were cleared with the help of the Christian Legal Centre. As they were preaching, a number of hecklers gathered and made trouble for the preachers. It was alleged that the preachers said “homosexuals are going to hell” and “man cannot lie ...
16 January 2018 Articles
Christian street preachers acquitted of public order offences
Two Christian street preachers have today been acquitted of public order offences, after being convicted in February in what was described as a “modern day heresy trial”. Michael Overd and Michael Stockwell were found guilty under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 at Bristol Magistrates’ Court in February this year, with Prosecutor Ian Jackson claiming that ...
29 June 2017 Articles
Why we must protect our street preachers
The Christian Legal Centre’s Roger Kiska comments on two street preachers being convicted of public order offences for quoting the Bible. February 28, 2017 was a historic day in the United Kingdom as two street preachers, Michael Overd and Michael Stockwell, were convicted for comments they made while publicly preaching the gospel in Bristol. While ...
3 March 2017 Articles
Street preachers convicted in ‘modern-day heresy trial’
Two street preachers have today been convicted of a public order offence, after a public prosecutor claimed that publicly quoting parts of the King James Bible in modern Britain should “be considered to be abusive and is a criminal matter”. Prosecutor Ian Jackson also told the court that “although the words preached are included in ...
28 February 2017 Articles
The three big threats to UK street ministry
Christian street ministry has a long and fruitful history in the United Kingdom. But in recent years the freedom to preach in the streets has been severely curtailed. We’ve supported many public ambassadors for Christ who have been arrested, prosecuted or even attacked for their Christian views. And it’s usually because they bring the light ...
23 December 2025 Articles
Street ministry is a service to the community
Sean Redfearn comments on the recent good news from Uxbridge, that a church will be able to continue its evangelistic outreach ministry As Christians, we know that Jesus has the power to change a life – any life – in an eternal way and in a way that nothing else can. That’s why so many ...
23 July 2025 Articles
Labour council U-turn from criminalising Christian street preaching
A Labour council has been forced into a dramatic U-turn after it sought a court injunction to criminalise Christian prayer, singing and evangelism in public. On 7 March 2025, Rushmoor Borough Council sought an injunction at Aldershot and Farnham County Court that would have imposed draconian restrictions on Christian Street preachers in Aldershot and Farnborough. ...
12 May 2025 Articles
Teaching assistant wins £7,000 settlement after sacking for street preaching
A Christian teaching assistant has won a £7,000 legal settlement from a school in Leeds after he was sacked for street preaching in his spare time. Supported by the Christian Legal Centre, Mr Andy Nix, 65, took legal action against Temple Moor High School in Leeds after he was sacked without notice for taking part ...
11 January 2024 Articles
Win for street preacher as ‘misgendering’ conviction overturned
A judge has overturned the conviction of a Christian street preacher who was arrested and reported to Prevent for ‘misgendering’ a member of the public. Supported by the Christian Legal Centre, Dave McConnell, 42, from Wakefield, was appealing a conviction today at Leeds Crown Court after he was arrested under section 4A of the Public ...
9 March 2023 Articles
Street preacher appeals conviction for ‘misgendering’
A Christian lettings agent who became the first street preacher to be prosecuted and reported to counter-terrorism for alleged ‘misgendering’, is set to appeal his conviction this week at Leeds Crown Court. Dave McConnell, 42, from Wakefield, was reported by the Probation Service to the government’s counter-terrorism watchdog, Prevent, after he was arrested under section 4A Public ...
7 March 2023 Articles
Another street preacher victory after police arrest for ‘hate speech’
A Christian preacher who was arrested for criticising Muhammad and Buddha has been found not guilty following a court hearing. Shaun O’Sullivan, 32, who has been supported by the Christian Legal Centre, was arrested in Swindon town centre on 11 March 2020, for alleged ‘hate speech’ and causing harassment, alarm and distress. Last month, however, ...
3 November 2022 Articles
Street preacher wins Easter Sunday Covid arrest case
After a two-year legal battle, a Crown Court Judge has vindicated a Christian volunteer worker who was arrested, detained in a police cell and issued with a Covid fine for preaching and supporting the homeless during lockdown. On Easter Sunday 2020, Andrew Sathiyavan, 47, was confronted by London Metropolitan police officers on Sutton High Street, ...
30 May 2022 ArticlesStreet preacher to appeal Easter Sunday covid fine after police arrest
Today, a Christian volunteer is appealing a covid fine he received after being arrested for preaching and supporting the homeless on Easter Sunday 2020. Supported by the Christian Legal Centre, Andrew Sathiyavan, 47, will appeal the ruling of Deputy District Judge Minhas at Isleworth Crown Court, which upheld the issuing of the fine and said ...
24 May 2022 Articles
Street preacher wins legal case after false allegations
The first Christian woman to face trial for street preaching since a landmark free speech case in 1997 has been told there was ‘no case to answer’ by a district judge. Hazel Lewis, 49, was arrested while preaching a biblical message outside Finsbury Park tube station in North London on 12 February 2020, after false ...
9 August 2021 Articles
Free to preach the gospel on the streets of Greenwich
“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet ...
16 April 2021 ArticlesCourt to hear four Christian preachers’ case against police after brutal arrests
This Monday, four Christian preachers, known as ‘the Bristol Four’, will challenge Avon and Somerset Police over their brutal arrests following a dramatic incident in July 2016. Beginning on Monday 7 December at Bristol County Court, Mike Overd, Don Karns, Mike Stockwell and AJ Clarke will bring claims against the police for: assault, false imprisonment, ...
4 December 2020 Articles
Police issue first street preacher pay out for heavy handedness during lockdown
A Christian charity leader has been given the first lockdown related compensation award from Dorset police after being manhandled and unlawfully prevented from preaching on the back of his truck. With thanks to support from the Christian Legal Centre, police have now paid street preacher Dominic Muir, 44, £1,250 in damages and costs. Police mounted ...
26 October 2020 ArticlesStreet preacher remains free to share the gospel
Yesterday, the Christian Legal Centre supported street preacher Mike Overd in a High Court case where police tried to impose severe restrictions on his freedom to preach in the streets of Avon and Somerset. Mike Overd has been preaching publicly ever since he became a Christian in the early 2000s. Compelled by love to share ...
6 October 2020 Articles
Police payout after Christian street preacher arrest
Supported by the Christian Legal Centre, a Christian street preacher has been offered £2,500 in exemplary damages from the Metropolitan Police in relation to his false arrest, imprisonment and unlawful detention. In February, a video showing the aggressive arrest of Pastor Oluwole Ilesanmi (64) was watched by millions around the world, prompting outrage. Officers were ...
28 July 2019 Articles