Catholic pro-lifer facing third police investigation for silent prayer

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce is being investigated by police for a third time as a result of silently praying outside an abortion clinic.

The investigation is occurring even though the Catholic pro-life campaigner and charity worker has already received a payout and apology from West Midlands Police after being arrested on two previous occasions for the "thought crime" of silent prayer.

Furthermore, earlier this year, Ms Vaughan-Spruce lodged a complaint against the police force, accusing officers of continuing to harass her simply for standing near an abortion clinic in Birmingham, England, and silently praying.

But it has now emerged that West Midlands Police is investigating Ms Vaughan-Spruce for a third time, and that the force has asked prosecutors whether there is enough evidence to charge her, reports the Daily Telegraph.

Ms Vaughan-Spruce was first arrested in November 2022 for silently praying in a so-called “buffer zone” – a restrictive zone based on distance in metres – around an abortion clinic in the Kings Norton area of Birmingham.

In February 2023, she was acquitted of all charges at Birmingham magistrates’ court when the prosecution was unable to offer evidence to support the charge.

Weeks later, however, she was arrested for a second time by police officers who told her that engaging in silent prayer within the restricted zone around an abortion clinic was an offence.

Following a six-month police investigation, the charges were dropped. In August 2024, Ms Vaughan-Spruce received a payout of £13,000 as well as an apology from West Midlands Police.

Then in October 2024, a new law was introduced in England and Wales making it an offence for someone within a “buffer zone” to do anything that, in the words of the law, intentionally or recklessly influences a person’s decision to use abortion services, obstructs them, or causes harassment, alarm or distress to someone using or working at a clinic's premises.

Ms Vaughan-Spruce, however, continued to pray silently outside the Birmingham clinic every week, insisting her actions were not a breach of the new law, reports the Telegraph.

After she lodged her formal complaint with the force earlier this year – claiming she was still being subjected to regular harassment by officers and accusing them of attempting to restrict her freedom of expression – she received a letter from the force’s Department for Professional Standards stating that they could not deal with the complaint as she was the subject of a live investigation.

The force also said officers were liaising with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), with an update expected later this month.

“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," Ms Vaughan-Spruce said.

“Silent prayer cannot possibly be a crime – everyone has the right to freedom of thought.”

The ongoing plight of Ms Vaughan-Spruce has come to the attention of JD Vance, the US vice-president, who has spoken publicly about how silent prayer should not be a crime, and who earlier this year singled out the UK as offering a worrying example of declining freedoms of speech, conscience and religion in the West.

Earlier this year, the charity worker met lawyers from the US House Judiciary Committee to discuss restrictions being imposed on those who are silently praying, especially on those who are praying for would-be mothers and the unborn near abortion clinics.

Her case is being supported by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International, a faith-based legal advocacy group, which has accused West Midlands Police of trying to impose censorship of people’s beliefs.

ADF has said that West Midlands Police have confirmed that they are awaiting advice from the CPS regarding the next steps on the latest allegations – resulting in the third investigation – against Ms Vaughan-Spruce. The legal advocacy group notes that CPS has previously decided that acts of engaging, typically standing, silently in prayer do not meet its evidential and public interest thresholds to warrant prosecution.

"This approach appeared to be formalised under new guidance which noted that conduct which was not ‘overt’ would fall outside the scope of criminality," ADF says. "This [latest investigation against Ms Vaughan-Spruce] is believed to be the first test of CPS guidance under the controversial national 'buffer zone' legislation."

Jeremiah Igunnubole, legal counsel for ADF International, says: “‘Buffer zones’ are among the most concerning frontiers of censorship in the modern West.

“We all stand against harassment and abuse, but the ‘buffer zone’ law broadly bans ‘influence’, which is being interpreted by police officers to target innocent people who happen to stand in a certain place and believe a certain thing.

“We will continue to robustly challenge this unjust censorship, and support Isabel’s right to think and believe freely.”

Photo: Isabel Vaughan-Spruce during one of her encounters with police for silent prayer. (Image credit: ADF International.)

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