A Christian street preacher has been cleared by a jury of a charge of religiously aggravated harassment. The case concerned an incident on 15 September 2024 in Swindon, UK, where 36-year-old preacher Shaun O’Sullivan was delivering a public sermon. A Muslim family alleged that he directed comments at them such as “We love the Jews,” “Jew haters,” and “Palestine lovers.”
According to the Christian Legal Centre (CLC), which represented him, a 999 call from the family was immediately recorded as a “hate incident.” O’Sullivan was subsequently charged under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 with religiously aggravated intentional harassment.
After a six-day trial at Swindon Crown Court, the jury returned a not-guilty verdict.
Responding to the outcome, O’Sullivan stated: “I was once lost, but Christ changed everything. My heart is to share the good news and to love all people. I never intended harm. This case shows how vital it is to defend free speech and Christian liberty.”
The CLC said the case raises concerns about how “hate incidents” are logged and acted upon by police and public bodies, noting that the entire case was triggered by a single phone call. The organisation argues that such practices contribute to over-policing and create a chilling effect on core freedoms.
The defence maintained that any statements O’Sullivan made were part of a wider public message on religious and political issues, not targeted harassment. They also highlighted the historic role of street preaching in shaping Britain’s free-speech tradition and warned against using criminal law to silence robust public debate protected under Articles 9, 10, and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Andrea Williams, chief executive of the CLC, commented: “We must ensure that strong public discussion, especially about the Christian faith, is not shut down. Shaun loves Jesus and wants to share the hope that transformed his life. He, and other street preachers, must be free to do so without fear of prosecution.”
