A protestor from Wales has been ordered to pay more than £7,500 after breaching a designated safe zone outside a reproductive health clinic in Ealing.
Stephen Green, 73, from Carmarthen, was ordered to pay £7,536.50 in prosecution costs following a judgement taken at Isleworth Crown Court on Wednesday 15 January, which dismissed his appeal against a conviction for the offence of failing to comply with a public space protection order.
He was first issued with a £100 fixed penalty notice (FPN) in March 2023, after failing to comply with a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO).
The PSPO, which was introduced in 2018 by Ealing Council, creates a safe zone around the MSI Reproductive Choices clinic in Mattock Lane to shield visitors from pro-life/pro-choice protests.
The PSPO also sets out a designated area for protesters, respecting their right to freedom of speech, which Green ignored as part of his protest on Monday 6 February 2023.
At the time of the incident, Green was seen carrying a sign bearing the religious verse: “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.”
After failing to pay the fixed penalty notice, the case was taken to Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court, where Green was handed a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £2,426 in costs.
He appealed the decision on 30 October 2024 at Isleworth Crown Court, but his case was ultimately dismissed by the judge, who has ordered Green to pay the additional prosecution costs.
‘I hope this case sends a clear message’
Councillor Jasbir Anand, the council’s cabinet member for tackling crime and anti-social behaviour, said: “We welcome the court’s decision to dismiss Mr Green’s appeal.
“The Mattock Lane Safe Zone exists to protect women from facing unreasonable interference and intimidation at the point they are accessing services for intensely personal reasons. Whilst we of course respect people’s right to protest, we also respect people’s right to privacy, and the kind of behaviour Mr Green engaged in was totally unacceptable.
“I hope this result sends a clear message; that any breaches will be taken seriously.”
‘It could not be more important to stand up for women and girls’
Louise McCudden, advocacy lead at MSI Reproductive Choices UK, said: “We welcome the news that Stephen Green’s conviction has been upheld.
“The local safe zone is very important for our clients and our frontline healthcare workers. The zone is there to make sure anyone who needs it can access confidential medical care without being harassed and intimidated by strangers.
“Every day we are grateful that Ealing Council introduced this protection. At a time when we’re seeing global attempts to roll back reproductive rights, most notably in the United States, it could not be more important to stand up for women and girls.”
You can find out more about the PSPO in effect at Mattock Lane on the Around Ealing website.
