UK Pastor Cleared of Wrongdoing Following Criminal Investigation into Street Sermon
Pastor Dia Moodley, a 58-year-old preacher in the UK, has been cleared of any charges following a criminal investigation by the police. The investigation was initiated after he delivered a street sermon in Bristol in November last year, allegedly involving religiously aggravated offenses. The incident drew attention from Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International, a legal advocacy group.
Moodley faced arrest due to his comments on Islam and transgender ideology during his street preaching. He was detained by police in a cell for eight hours before being released on bail. Avon and Somerset Police later informed Moodley on May 16 that the case has been officially dropped. The police confirmed the arrest of a 58-year-old man in Bristol on November 22 for suspected common assault and a racially/religiously motivated public order offense, but decided not to charge him after assessing the evidence provided.
This isn’t the first time Moodley has faced legal challenges. He was previously arrested in March for similar reasons during his evangelism efforts. The investigation was dropped, and an apology was issued to him. Moodley asserts that these repeated legal challenges are indicative of growing restrictions on Christian free speech in the UK.
During an Easter sermon in April, while preaching about Jesus, Moodley faced threats from a bystander who warned him against further sermons. The situation was reported to the police, but after reviewing video footage and conducting further investigations, they found the evidence insufficient to pursue legal actions.
Pastor Moodley now seeks legal advice on potentially taking action against the police. He maintains that his free speech rights were violated and the threats against him were inadequately investigated.
This case forms part of broader legal battles involving pastors in the UK. In London, Pastor Steve Maile has been charged with hate speech after speaking against Islam. Meanwhile, retired Pastor Clive Johnston in Northern Ireland was fined for preaching near an abortion buffer zone.