'SICK' PROTEST OVER ABORTION
A PRO-LIFE campaigner who sent graphic images of aborted and disfigured babies to a bed company has been jailed for 12 weeks.
The sentence came just minutes after Edward Atkinson (77) led prayers for a number of supporters in Lynn Magistrates' Court, where he appeared on Wednesday accused of breaching an anti-social behaviour order (ASBO).
The verdict was greeted with cheers of derision from the supporters, some of whom had travelled from Manchester, with one man shouting "this court is a disgrace".
Magistrates heard how Atkinson (77), of Marian House, Ely Road, Hilgay, left a secretary and manager at Adjustomatic with "severe anxiety and distress" after sending the pictures to the company in October.
ADMISSION
He admitted that by doing so he was in breach of an ASBO which bans him from sending abortion-related material to any person, hospital, doctor, medical practice or public authority.
Mr Kevin Eastwick, prosecuting, said the pictures were sent to Adjustomtic, which is based in Wales, alongside some legitimate paperwork and when the receptionist opened the pink envelope she found an image of a foetus on a postcard.
The court was told she was "utterly sickened" by the image.
A closer inspection of the envelope revealed it featured a sticker containing the words "abortion is murder" and a warning message which stated "graphic material for mature adults".
A manager examined the envelope and found "horrendous" images of abortion, breast cancer and a disfigured baby.
When interviewed by police, Atkinson said the ASBO had no binding force as no-one can be prohibited from exposing mass murder.
He admitted sending the material and the envelope and accepted that anyone who saw the images would be distressed by them.
Atkinson told officers there were no pretty pictures of murdered babies and felt compelled to pursue his own moral convictions and beliefs.
campaign
The anti-abortionist is well known to the courts and has appeared before magistrates on a number of charges linked to his campaign.
He was jailed for 28 days and given a five-year ASBO in May 2006 after he sent a graphic video showing a clinical abortion to the administrator of Lynn's Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH).
In November that year he faced the prospect of a further prison sentence after refusing to pay court costs and fees totalling 665.The outstanding sum saw the pro-life action group LifeLeague launch an appeal among its supporters for help in covering the cost of the bill.
Atkinson's campaign against the QEH in 2006 saw him refused treatment at the hospital and the court heard on Wednesday how he is still waiting for a hip replacement operation.
Mr Michael Phillips, defending Atkinson, said his client's behaviour is linked to his return to the UK from Australia in the late 1960s, when he found his country had "deviated from its moral and Christian past."
He added that many people feel strongly about the issue of abortion.
Mr Phillips said: "Legally he is guilty of this offence but he does not feel morally guilty."
He added: "I have spoken to my client about ways forward in terms of protest. If he wishes to protest he has to aim at the higher echelons of society, with letters to MPs and members of the judiciary.
"These are the people who need to be immersed rather than those who work in a bedding company.
"He has a right to manifest his religion but one has to accept that people have a right to a private life."
Atkinson lead the prayers after the bench retired to consider the case but on their return presiding magistrate Mr Ed Easter said: "This was a deliberate breach of an ASBO intended to cause deliberate alarm and distress.
"We think there is no other appropriate way in dealing with you as the offence is so serious."
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Monday 28 May 2012
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