A pro-life campaigner has been handed a restraining order after protesting outside a south Manchester abortion clinic.
The woman - who has not been named by police - was charged with a public order offence following an incident outside the Marie Stopes Clinic, in Fallowfield.
She appeared at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on October 10 when she pleaded guilty to a public order offence.
The defendant was sentenced to a 12-month conditional discharge and handed a 12-month restraining order.
Police say the woman was “anti-abortion protesting” when the incident happened, during an ongoing 40-day vigil by pro-life protesters.
An officer shared details of the conviction on Greater Manchester Police Fallowfield, Withington, Levenshulme & Burnage Facebook page.
They wrote: “A female has been convicted and sentenced at court receiving a 12 Month Conditional Discharge and a 12 Month Restraining Order for a Public Order Offence committed whilst anti-abortion protesting outside of the Marie Stopes Clinic, Wynnstay Grove, Fallowfield.”
The 40 Days For Life protest started on Wynnstay Grove at the end of September.
The internationally coordinated campaign - led by Texas-based prayer group '40 Days for Life' - aims to 'end abortion locally through prayer and fasting, community outreach, and a peaceful all-day vigil in front of abortion businesses'.
It is understood that their 40-day ‘vigil’ will end next month.
Manchester City Council recently launched an eight-week consultation about a proposed ‘buffer zone’ outside the clinic, enforced by a Public Space Protection Order.
Staff at the Marie Stopes clinic - which offers a range of contraceptive treatment including vasectomies and abortions - say they have been subjected to abuse from protesters for years.
Staff say they have been subjected to verbal abuse, pushing and shoving and say they have found their tyres popped with nails.
Last year Ealing Council made history by imposing a 100-metre buffer zone banning activists from protesting or 'harassing' women outside the town’s Marie Stopes abortion clinic.
