Woman guilty of violation of the abortion clinic’s protection area

A woman at the center of a controversy on freedom of expression involving the United States government was found guilty of having violated a protection zone of the abortion clinic.

Livia Toscici-Bolt, 64, received a two-year parole and ordered to pay £ 20,000 for two accusations of violation of the public space protection order (PSPO) over two days in March 2023.

The anti-abortion activist held a sign saying “here to speak, if you want” outside a clinic in Bournemouth.

His case drew the attention of the US State Department and the US Vice-President JD VANCE.

He was underlined by the Office of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor – An office in the US State Department, which said it was “concerned about freedom of expression in the United Kingdom”.

He later said that he was “disappointed” by the decision in a post on X. “Freedom of expression must be protected for everyone,” he said.

On Friday, at the Poole tribunal de trial, the district judge Orla Austin said about Toscici-Bolt: “It lacks knowledge that its presence could have a harmful effect on women who frequent the clinic, their partners, staff and public members.

“I accept that her beliefs were really beliefs. Although she was accepted, this defendant has pro-life opinions, it is important to note that this case does not concern rights and wrongs on abortion, but on the question of whether the defendant was in violation of the PSPO.”

The accusation had been brought by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council for violation of a PSPO under the Law on anti -social behavior, crime and the 2014 police.

The Ophir Road area entered into force in October 2022, from 07:00 to 7:00 from Monday to Friday.

Rosalind Comyn, in defense, said that Toscici-Bolt had no previous conviction.

She added: “The Council produced no evidence that Ms. Toscici-Bolt was in fact observed by a service user or any other form of damage was caused by his behavior.

“My point is not that violations can never cause harm, but that there is no evidence that the conduct of Ms. Toscici-Bolt made in this case.”

Topso-Bolt, a retired medical scientist living in Bournemouth, previously said that she was grateful to the US State Department for having taken note of her case.

“Great Britain is supposed to be a free country, but I was dragged in court simply for having offered a consensual conversation,” she said.

“Pacific expression is a fundamental right – no one should be criminalized for harmless offers to converse.”

She continued by saying that it was tragic to see “that the increase in censorship in this country made it feel in the United States that it must remind us of our common values ​​and our basic civil freedoms”.

She added: “It deeply saddens me that the United Kingdom was considered an international embarrassment in matters of freedom of expression.”

Heidi Stewart, CEO of BPAS, said: “BPAS welcomes today’s verdict who will protect women and staff who provide abortion care.

“The Bournemouth clinic has been subjected to many years of anti-abortion demonstrations, which led to more than 500 harassment reports before this safe local access area was put into force.

“This case never concerned global policy, but on the simple capacity of women to access legal health care without harassment.

“It is up to the police and the judicial system to determine whether the individuals have violated the law.

“Me, in the meantime, I suppose that our staff who work if tirelessly to protect our patients against the impact of anti-abortion harassment outside the clinic’s door.”

In October 2024, buffer were brought nationally to prohibit protest within a radius of 150 meters around the abortion services and the people recognized as guilty of having violated the law could cope with an unlimited fine.

They were introduced through the Law on public order 2023.

A Conditional release is a conviction where the recipient could still obtain a sentence if the conditions set by the court are broken.