Council prosecution sees abortion clinic protestor hit with £7,500 costs order

A protester has been ordered to pay more than £7,500 after failing to comply with a public space protection order (PSPO), which created 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 judgment taken at Isleworth Crown Court last week (15 January).

He was first handed a £100 fixed penalty notice (FPN) in March 2023 after failing to comply with the PSPO.

The PSPO, introduced in 2018 by Ealing Council, creates a safe zone around the Marie Stopes clinic on Mattock Lane, Ealing, to ensure visitors can access the clinic's services without fear of being approached, intimidated or harassed by protesters.

The PSPO also sets out a designated area for protesters, which Green is said to have ignored as part of his protest in February 2023.

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 now ordered Green to pay the additional prosecution costs.

Cllr Jasbir Anand, the council's cabinet member for tackling crime and anti-social behaviour, said he hoped the result "sends a clear message that any breaches will be taken seriously".

Louise McCudden, advocacy lead at MSI Reproductive Choices UK, meanwhile said: "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."

Adam Carey