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 publicly quoting parts of the King James
Bible in modern Britain should "be
considered to be abusive and is a criminal
matter".
Mr Overd and Mr Stockwell had been arrested for preaching at a Bristol
shopping centre in July 2016, along with two other
men.
In February the court had dismissed the case against a third man, Adrian
Clark, ruling that there was no case to answer.
Mr Overd and Mr Stockwell were both acquitted today at the appeal hearing
at Bristol Crown Court. Christian
Concern.
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