A Christian street preacher in the United Kingdom who faced accusations of making anti-Muslim comments during a public sermon has been found not guilty.
A jury at Swindon Crown Court in southwest England delivered the verdict after hearing of testimony and argument.
Shaun O’Sullivan, 36, had been charged with religiously aggravated intentional harassment after allegedly shouting “We love the Jews,” “Jew haters” and “Palestine lovers” toward a Muslim family in Swindon on Sept. 15, 2024, according to the advocacy group Christian Concern.
The encounter was initially logged as a hate crime after one of the complainants called 999, reportedly telling the operator, “We just felt very unsafe … calling us Jew haters, Palestine lovers,” Christian Concern stated.
The operator replied, “No, I’ll put a hate claim on,” despite having no supporting evidence.
O’Sullivan, represented by attorneys from the Christian Legal Centre, denied the allegations.
The prosecution’s case relied almost entirely on the testimony of the Muslim family. No audio or video recordings captured the alleged remarks, and CCTV footage provided only a partially obstructed view of the interaction, obscured by nearby public sculptures.
Witness accounts varied significantly, including conflicting statements about whether O’Sullivan used a microphone and inconsistent descriptions of what he was wearing at the time.
During cross-examination by defense barrister Michael Phillips, the complainant acknowledged she had not heard O’Sullivan’s entire sermon and admitted that her perception was influenced by her views on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
She also conceded that she was upset O’Sullivan had “spoken directly to us.”
The defense argued that O’Sullivan’s sermon constituted protected religious and political expression under the European Convention on Human Rights—specifically Articles 9, 10, and 11, which safeguard freedom of religion, speech, and assembly. His words, they contended, were expressions of belief rather than targeted harassment.
After the acquittal, O’Sullivan shared his reaction, saying, “I was once lost, but Christ changed everything. My heart is to share the Good News and love all people. I never intended harm. This case shows how vital it is to protect freedom of speech and Christian freedom.”
Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, criticized the case was based solely on perception rather than substantive evidence.
“Shaun’s case highlights the dangers of policing ‘hate incidents’ based on perception alone. We must ensure that robust public debate, especially on matters of Christian faith, is not silenced.”
Williams argued that filing a hate-crime report on the basis of a single phone call showed police overreach and created a “chilling effect” on free expression. She emphasized that O’Sullivan and other street preachers should be able to speak publicly without fear of being prosecuted.
