Overview
- The Crown Prosecution Service has issued proceedings under Section 9 of the Public Order Act 2023 in one case since the law commenced, a fact confirmed by the Attorney General and followed by written notice from West Midlands Police.
- Vaughan‑Spruce is due at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on January 29, 2026, after charges alleging she stood in the zone on multiple dates between June and November with intent to influence decisions about abortion services.
- Section 9 establishes safe access zones around clinics and makes it an offense to influence, obstruct, or cause harassment, alarm, or distress in connection with abortion services, with penalties that can include an unlimited fine.
- The CPS has previously said silent prayer outside clinics may not necessarily be a crime and that prosecutions are decided case by case, while ADF International is representing Vaughan‑Spruce and challenging the law’s breadth.
- Vaughan‑Spruce was acquitted in 2023 in an earlier buffer‑zone case and later received a £13,000 apology and settlement from West Midlands Police, and the latest prosecution has drawn public comment from international figures including U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance.