A Catholic pro-life activist has become the first person charged under Britain’s new national buffer zone law. Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, 48, faces allegations for silently praying near an abortion clinic in Birmingham — now classified as a criminal offence under the legislation.
Vaughan-Spruce is charged on four occasions between June and November for standing within 150 metres of the Kings Norton clinic. Prosecutors claim she intended to “influence” decisions regarding abortion services. Vaughan-Spruce, however, maintains she was simply praying quietly.
“I’m literally just standing there,” she told reporters. “I’m not staring at people as they go in. I’m not trying to have a conversation with anybody, I’m just simply silent and in my head.”
Previously cleared of similar charges, Vaughan-Spruce was awarded £13,000 from West Midlands Police after prior wrongful arrests. She is due to appear at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on January 29 and could face an unlimited fine if convicted.
The buffer zone law, introduced in October 2024, bans any act of “influence” within 150 metres of abortion clinics in England and Wales. Supporters argue it protects women from harassment, while critics say it criminalises belief and silent protest.
US Vice President JD Vance publicly defended Vaughan-Spruce, calling the law an “assault on basic liberties of religious Britons.” Her lawyer, Jeremiah Igunnubole of ADF International, described it as a “worrying frontier of censorship” and confirmed they will “robustly challenge this unjust law and defend Isabel’s right to believe freely.”
The case represents a critical test of the law’s limits on protest and free expression, sparking nationwide debate about balancing protection of healthcare access with religious freedom. All eyes will be on Birmingham next month as Vaughan-Spruce’s trial unfolds, marking a defining moment in Britain’s abortion and civil liberties discourse.
