Challenging “Thought Crimes”- Charity Volunteer Arrested for Silent Prayer
BREAKING: On 17 December 2025, Isabel Vaughan-Spruce was criminally charged again for standing, silently praying, holding pro-life beliefs in her head in a “buffer zone” around an abortion facility in Birmingham.
Meet the charity worker arrested twice and charged on four counts for silent prayer “thought crime” near an abortion facility.
In a viral video in December 2022, Isabel was seen being searched and arrested by three police officers after saying that she “might be” praying inside her head.
The area surrounding the facility nearby, which she prayed at, has been covered by a local Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), in force since November 2022, which prohibits prayer, distributing information about pregnancy help services, and other activities considered to constitute “protest.”
Isabel received a not-guilty verdict on all four counts, with support from ADF UK. Despite this, she was arrested a second time, but the matter was later dropped by the police after she made legal representations.
With support from ADF UK, Isabel issued a claim against West Midlands Police for two wrongful arrests and false imprisonments; assault and battery in relation to an intrusive search of her person; and for a breach of her human rights both in respect to the arrests, and to the onerous bail conditions imposed on her. In August 2024, she received a payout of £13,000 from West Midlands Police in acknowledgement of her unjust treatment and the breach of her human rights.
Yet in February 2025, a West Midlands Police officer demanded that Isabel leave a public area because of what she is known to believe, despite her simply standing alone, praying silently, without undertaking any actions. Video footage shows the police officer explaining that he believes Isabel’s “mere presence” may constitute “harassment, alarm and distress,” given that she is known to have pro-life beliefs and belongs to a pro-life organisation. He thus concluded that she was breaching the rules of the “buffer zone” – an area within 150m of an abortion facility. With support from ADF UK, Isabel wrote to the police to request clarification that a person’s mere presence does not constitute a criminal offence.
In August 2025, West Midlands Police confirmed a live investigation into Isabel, marking the third time in which the police have responded to her silent prayers.
“There is no place for Orwell’s ‘thought police’ in 21st Century Britain. Having been arrested, tried, and dragged through the legal system for months on account of my silent prayer – only to be found innocent and receive a payout for my unlawful arrest – it’s deeply concerning to see vaguely-worded legislation come in which could punish people like me who are just there to help, to talk peacefully, or to pray.”
– Isabel Vaughan-Spruce
Case Summary
In November 2022, the police approached Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, standing near the BPAS Robert Clinic in Kings Norton, Birmingham. Isabel was not protesting. She wasn’t carrying a sign or engaging with anyone. She was completely silent until approached by officers who had received complaints that she might be praying silently in her mind.
Isabel, who has supported women in crisis pregnancies for over twenty years, was charged with “protesting and engaging in an act that is intimidating to service users,” despite the fact that the abortion facility was closed during the time in which she was present and praying, and despite her clear statement that she was not there to protest.
Charged with “thought crime” over content of silent prayer
While harassment is already illegal, the censorship zone measure introduced by Birmingham authorities criminalises individuals perceived to be “engaging in any act of approval or disapproval or attempted act of approval or disapproval” in relation to abortion, including through “verbal or written means, prayer or counselling…” Isabel’s physical presence in the public space protection order (PSPO) area wasn’t a crime in itself; it was the contents of her private thoughts that were prohibited. If Isabel had stood in the same place thinking about another topic, she would not have been arrested.
Isabel is the Director of the UK March for Life and has volunteered for many years in support of women in crisis pregnancies. She has tirelessly served her community by providing charitable assistance to vulnerable women and children, and yet, she is being treated no better than a violent criminal because of her private thoughts.
The prosecution, however, was unable to present any evidence to the court to substantiate the “thoughtcrime,” and so the Birmingham Magistrates’ Court acquitted Isabel of all charges in February 2023.
Acquitted, then arrested again
But, only three weeks later, in March 2023, Isabel was again arrested for silently praying. Six police officers attended that arrest despite her “not guilty” verdict, with one confirming to her that “you’ve said you’re engaging in prayer, which is the offence”.
Bail conditions were then imposed on Isabel prohibiting her from attending an area within the vicinity of the abortion facility which extends beyond the censorial “buffer zone”. Supported by ADF UK, Isabel challenged the unnecessary and disproportionate bail conditions, which were subsequently amended by the police.
In August 2024, after issuing a claim against West Midlands Police, Isabel received a payout of £13,000 in acknowledgement of her unjust treatment and the breach of her human rights.
New investigation into Isabel despite previous vindication
Isabel has continued to pray near the abortion facility on a weekly basis. West Midlands Police have begun a practice of posting two officers to watch her as she prays silently. On several occasions, she has been approached by officers who ask whether she is praying.
Isabel submitted a complaint to the police force for repeatedly harassing and interrogating her while failing to explain how she had been in breach of any law. The complaint noted that her treatment was at odds with the previous clear verdict from the courts and CPS guidance on the matter.
Her formal complaint was declined on the basis of a live investigation against her, despite her never being formally informed of this.
West Midlands Police then confirmed that they await advice from the CPS on the next steps on the allegations against Isabel in August 2025. CPS has previously decided that acts of 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 (LINK). This is believed to be the first test of CPS guidance under the controversial national “buffer zone” legislation.
“Buffer zones” enforced despite threat to free speech
Isabel’s case exemplifies the dangers of “buffer zones.” Unfortunately, UK authorities have rolled out enforcement of “buffer zones” around every abortion facility in England & Wales since 31 October 2024. Under UK law (Public Order Act), “influencing” someone’s decision to “access” abortion services is currently a crime within 150m of any abortion facility.
ADF UK continues its work to overturn this dangerous law.
“We all stand against harassment and intimidation. But the Public Order Act goes much further by banning ‘influencing.’ Could this apply to the advice given by a parent? A concerned word from a friend? Information made available through a crisis pregnancy volunteer? The law is written so vaguely that peaceful, consensual conversations or even silent thoughts could be made illegal on certain streets of England. We have already seen the prosecution of individuals like Isabel Vaughan-Spruce or Adam Smith-Connor, who only stopped to pray in his mind for a few minutes, under these censorial and far-reaching “buffer zone” rules. A failure to protect thought and peaceful speech anywhere creates a threat to these rights everywhere. Buffer zones or otherwise, we should uncompromisingly safeguard the rights on which our democracy is based,” says Jeremiah Igunnubole, legal counsel for ADF UK.