{"id":93705,"date":"2026-05-22T17:29:41","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T15:29:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/?p=93705"},"modified":"2026-05-22T17:37:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T15:37:11","slug":"crown-office-backs-down-rose-docherty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/crown-office-backs-down-rose-docherty","title":{"rendered":"Crown Office\u00a0backs down\u00a0following\u00a0free speech victory of Scottish Christian grandmother\u00a0cleared in court\u00a0for offering consensual conversation in \u2018buffer zone\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"93705\" class=\"elementor elementor-93705\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-d1e619d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"d1e619d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6b033c63\" data-id=\"6b033c63\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-407ac494 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"407ac494\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li>Rose Docherty, 75, was cleared in court on 27 April, following arrest for offering consensual conversation<\/li><li>Scottish prosecutor had one week to appeal ruling, which expired earlier this month<\/li><li>With ADF International\u2019s support, Mrs Docherty is now considering all options to prevent the recurrence of her arrest and treatment, including legal action against the police<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c0df851 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-featured-image elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"c0df851\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-featured-image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"696\" src=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSC_6940-3-1536x1044-1-1-1024x696.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-93706\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSC_6940-3-1536x1044-1-1-1024x696.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSC_6940-3-1536x1044-1-1-300x204.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSC_6940-3-1536x1044-1-1-768x522.jpg 768w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSC_6940-3-1536x1044-1-1.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1b274ecc elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1b274ecc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>GLASGOW (22 May 2026) \u2013 <\/strong>The Crown Office has backed down and refused to appeal the case of a Glaswegian Catholic grandmother, who was cleared in court after offering to speak with people in a \u201cbuffer zone\u201d.<\/p><p>Rose Docherty, 75, was cleared at Glasgow Sheriff Court on 27 April, when the judge dismissed two criminal charges of \u201cinfluencing\u201d against her, in the first ever victory under censorial national legislation introducing abortion facility \u201cbuffer zones\u201d in the UK.<\/p><p>In a development that reinforces last month\u2019s free speech victory, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Scotland\u2019s public prosecutor, has refused to appeal the ruling and is now timed out of doing so.<\/p><p>They had one week to appeal the ruling, which expired on Tuesday 5 May. ADF International coordinated Mrs Docherty\u2019s legal defence.<\/p><p>The 75-year-old Christian grandmother was arrested last September merely for offering to speak with people in the vicinity of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital\u00a0in Glasgow and holding a sign that read: <em>\u201cCoercion is a crime, here to talk, only if you want\u201d<\/em>, leading to outcry across the world, including from the US State Department.<\/p><p>She did not approach anyone, did not speak about abortion, did not engage in any behaviour that was obstructing, harassing or intimidating and was not protesting.<\/p><p>Following her arrest, Mrs Docherty was held in custody for several hours. She was refused a chair to sit on in her cell, despite making it known that she had had a double hip replacement.<\/p><p>With ADF International\u2019s support, Mrs Docherty is now considering all options to prevent the recurrence of her arrest and treatment, including legal action against the police<\/p><p>Last September was the second time Mrs Docherty had been arrested for peacefully offering consensual conversation in a \u201cbuffer zone\u201d. Her first arrest for peaceful expression was on 19 February 2025, and the Procurator Fiscal later backed down and decided not to proceed with a prosecution in August, in a free speech win.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5800c8bd elementor-blockquote--skin-border elementor-widget elementor-widget-blockquote\" data-id=\"5800c8bd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"blockquote.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<blockquote class=\"elementor-blockquote\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-blockquote__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span style=\"color: #AF272F\">\u201cPeaceful expression, which is protected by national and international law, can never be a crime.<\/span>\"\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-q-footer\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<cite class=\"elementor-blockquote__author\">- Rose Docherty<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bf3c7ea elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bf3c7ea\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Mrs Docherty was the first person to be criminally charged under Scotland\u2019s 2024 \u201cbuffer zone\u201d law, which forbids the \u201cinfluencing\u201d of anyone\u202fseeking\u202fto access, provide or facilitate abortion and is enforced within 200 metres of every hospital where abortions occur. There are similar \u201cbuffer zone\u201d laws in England and Wales and Northern Ireland.<\/p><p>On 27 April, Sheriff Stuart Reid dismissed two charges of \u201cinfluencing\u201d against Mrs Docherty, ruling that the charges violated her Article 10 ECHR right to freedom of expression.<\/p><p>Sheriff Reid found that the charges were not \u201cprescribed by law\u201d, since they failed to state or identify another person in the \u201cbuffer zone\u201d that was present for the purpose of accessing, providing or facilitating abortion, and who was criminally \u201cinfluenced\u201d by Mrs Docherty\u2019s actions, as is required by the law.<\/p><p>The judge concluded that the Procurator Fiscal had \u201cfailed to disclose an offence known to the law of Scotland\u201d and dismissed the case<em>\u00a0pro loco et tempore,<\/em>\u00a0meaning the matter can be brought back if prosecutors bring improved evidence and decide that a prosecution continues to be in the public interest.<\/p><p><strong>Rose Docherty said:<\/strong><\/p><p><em>\u201cI am very pleased with this development, which reinforces that offering consensual conversation is not a crime on any public street in Scotland\u2014regardless of whether or not that street is in a \u2018buffer zone\u2019. Today, there is sadly an epidemic of loneliness and people experience coercion every day. An offer to speak, which can be freely accepted or refused by any person, could really help someone and should never be criminalised.<\/em><\/p><p><em>\u201cPeaceful expression, which is protected by national and international law, can never be a crime. The authorities should learn from their failed attempts to censor me\u2014a 75-year-old Christian grandmother, who has always lived in Glasgow\u2014and refrain in the future from criminalising me or any person who lawfully expresses their rights in this country.<\/em><\/p><p><em>\u201cI repeat my call for \u2018buffer zone\u2019 laws to be repealed in Scotland and across the UK, to prevent them being used to censor peaceful expression like mine.<\/em><\/p><p><em>\u201cI am now consulting with my legal team and considering what actions are necessary, including legal action, to ensure the authorities are not able to repeatedly arrest, imprison and prosecute me for peacefully exercising my right to free speech.\u201c<\/em><\/p><p><strong>Barrister and Legal Counsel for ADF International, Jeremiah Igunnubole commented:<\/strong><\/p><p><em>\u201cRose\u2019s free speech win last month has now been solidified by the Crown Office\u2019s decision not to appeal. This is a victory for freedom of expression in Scotland and across the UK.<\/em><\/p><p><em>\u201cRegardless of whether people agree with Rose\u2019s pro-life and Christian views, all should be able to agree that offering to speak with people in a public space is not a crime and must never be treated as one.<\/em><\/p><p><em>\u201cHowever, \u2018buffer zone\u2019 legislation across the UK continues to dangerously undermine the rule of law. It is inconsistent that Rose has been vindicated in Scotland, while our clients Livia Tossici-Bolt and Adam Smith-Connor have been criminally convicted for peaceful expression in \u2018buffer zones\u2019 elsewhere in the UK.<\/em><\/p><p><em>\u201cThe only way to robustly protect fundamental rights, uphold the rule of law in the UK, and ensure that \u2018buffer zones\u2019 are not used as a tool to censor lawful conduct is to repeal the deeply flawed, anti-free speech laws that impose thought-crime restrictions in Scotland and across the UK.<\/em><\/p><p><em>\u201cWe have already seen the US State Department strongly criticise the UK\u2019s \u2018buffer zone\u2019 censorship and express deep concern over the cases of Rose and our other clients. If politicians do not act to protect free speech, the alarming reality is that Great Britain will cease to be a place where human rights are respected as they once were, and our reputation on the world stage will suffer as a result.<\/em><\/p><p><em>\u201cAlthough Rose has been vindicated, she should never have been arrested. The process has become the punishment, with a deeply concerning chilling effect on free speech more broadly.<\/em><\/p><p><em>\u201cWe are now supporting Rose in considering all her options, including legal action, to ensure such treatment is not repeated or normalised. Standing in a public space offering a consensual conversation is not, as Sheriff Reid put it, \u201can offence not known to the law of Scotland\u201d. We will continue to stand with Rose to keep the peaceful exercise of free speech rights out of the criminal courts.\u201d<\/em><\/p><p><strong>Background<\/strong><\/p><p>Mrs Docherty\u2019s censorial arrest sparked expressions of concern in the UK and around the world, including from the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/us\/politics\/2025\/09\/28\/us-condemns-arrest-scottish-antiabortion-campaigner\/\">US State Department<\/a>, which described it as \u201canother egregious example of the tyrannical suppression of free speech happening across Europe\u201d, and from the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bcos.org.uk\/Our-Work\/Publications\/Press-Releases\">Scottish Catholic Bishops\u2019 Conference<\/a>.<\/p><p>The architect of Scotland\u2019s 2024 \u201cbuffer zone\u201d law, Gillian Mackay MSP,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/prayer-by-window-in-scotland-buffer-zone\">admitted<\/a>\u00a0on BBC Scotland that the vague prohibitions\u00a0in the legislation could\u00a0criminalise\u00a0someone for praying visibly from a window in their home within the zone, \u201cdepending on who\u2019s passing by the window\u201d.\u00a0<\/p><p>US Vice President JD Vance highlighted this law as a particular matter for concern in his Munich Security Conference speech in February last year.<\/p><p>Read more about the case\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/judge-dismisses-charges-against-scottish-grandmother-free-speech-victory\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-239073bf elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"239073bf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-64c135d3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"64c135d3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Images for free use in print or online in relation to this story only<\/p><p><em>(First and second pictures: Rose Docherty and Legal Counsel for ADF International Jeremiah Igunnubole outside Glasgow Sheriff Court, following the ruling clearing Rose on 27 April; Rose Docherty outside the court)<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-540b8444 elementor-widget elementor-widget-gallery\" data-id=\"540b8444\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" 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data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"540b8444\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"Rose &amp; JI\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6OTM3MTcsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC9hZGZpbnRlcm5hdGlvbmFsLm9yZ1wvd3AtY29udGVudFwvdXBsb2Fkc1wvMjAyNlwvMDVcL1Jvc2UtSkkuanBnIiwic2xpZGVzaG93IjoiNTQwYjg0NDQifQ%3D%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Rose-JI-1024x681.jpg\" data-width=\"1024\" data-height=\"681\" aria-label=\"\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSC_6940-3-1536x1044-1-1.jpg\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" 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data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"540b8444\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"Rose Docherty sign\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6NzM0NDcsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC9hZGZpbnRlcm5hdGlvbmFsLm9yZ1wvd3AtY29udGVudFwvdXBsb2Fkc1wvMjAyNVwvMDVcL1Jvc2UtRG9jaGVydHktc2lnbi1lMTc2ODIzOTIxMDUyMC5qcGciLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiI1NDBiODQ0NCJ9\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Rose-Docherty-sign-e1768239210520-1024x651.jpg\" data-width=\"1024\" data-height=\"651\" aria-label=\"\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Rose-arrest.jpg\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"540b8444\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"Rose Arrest\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6OTM3MTIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC9hZGZpbnRlcm5hdGlvbmFsLm9yZ1wvd3AtY29udGVudFwvdXBsb2Fkc1wvMjAyNlwvMDVcL1Jvc2UtYXJyZXN0LmpwZyIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6IjU0MGI4NDQ0In0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Rose-arrest-1024x574.jpg\" data-width=\"1024\" data-height=\"574\" aria-label=\"\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rose Docherty, 75, was cleared in court on 27 April, following arrest for offering consensual conversation Scottish prosecutor had one week to appeal ruling, which expired earlier this month With ADF International\u2019s support, Mrs Docherty is now considering all options to prevent the recurrence of her arrest and treatment, including legal action against the police [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8065,"featured_media":93706,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[573,64,1304,67],"class_list":["post-93705","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-buffer-zones","tag-freedom-of-speech","tag-rose-docherty","tag-uk"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.6 (Yoast SEO v27.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Crown Office\u00a0backs down\u00a0following\u00a0free 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