A Christian woman who faced a trial for street preaching 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 accusations were made against her by members of the public.
She was arrested under Section 4 of the Public Order Act for making homophobic and racist comments, despite evidence that these allegations were false.
Dangers faced
Lewis, a cancer survivor who has been open-air preaching for 12 years, has spoken of the range of dangers female preachers face on London’s streets. She says that she has had urine thrown at her and is frequently threatened and verbally abused.
Lewis had been recording audio of her preaching, which was discovered at the custody check-in. She knew that the evidence would prove the accusers’ claims to be untrue.
Handing down judgement in court, District Judge Julia Newton, said: ‘The defendant is alleged to have said: “You are an advocate of Satan and I rebuke you in Jesus’ name”. I don’t find those words threatening. These words were certainly disagreed with. I do not find that they were abusive either.
It is clear that [a witness] was disturbed and found them to be unpleasant. She said that other people were distressed. However, that does not amount to harassment, alarm or distress.
‘I find that there is no case to answer.’
