A Christian street preacher prosecuted after criticising Islam is celebrating a win free of charge speech after his case was thrown out by a judge this week.
At a hearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Mr Recorder G Kelly dismissed the case against Karandeep Mamman, 33, on the grounds that the Crown Prosecution Service had failed to supply any evidence for the fees brought against him.
Mr Mamman was charged under section 28 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 for causing religiously aggravated harassment, alarm and distress after preaching in Walsall town centre on 14 January 2023.
While preaching, Mr Mamman had said that Islam represents a “incorrect Jesus” because within the Quran he’s described as a prophet, not the Son of God as Christians imagine.
He also said that “Jesus within the Quran isn’t the true Jesus”, and that “in line with the Quran Muhammad promoted hatred, terrorism and killing of Jews and Christians who don’t convert”.
Mr Mamman said he was surrounded by a gaggle of Muslims who threatened to take him away, beat him up and “cut his throat”.
During the incident two men believed to be a same-sex couple ripped up an indication that the preacher had been holding that suggested homosexuality was a sin.
Lawyers for Mr Mamman from the Christian Legal Centre (CLC) said that he was followed around Walsall town centre by the group and that they’d not let him go until officers arrived on the scene.
Although the officers checked his welfare, they later invited him to the station for a voluntary interview and eventually pressed charges against him.
Mr Mamman said he was “relieved” by the judge’s decision to throw out the case.
“My aim all the time when preaching is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and that every one of us can only be saved if we follow His teaching,” he said. “Often members of the general public respond with significant hostility to the Bible’s moral clarity, but that doesn’t make it a criminal offence.“It was intimidating to be attacked and surrounded by such an offended mob, but I used to be determined to face my ground and never back down over my beliefs.“The authorities must have been protecting my personal safety and free speech rights. Instead, by prosecuting me they’ve encouraged members of the general public that that is the suitable approach to getting your way and shutting down the expression of beliefs that you just don’t like.”Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: “We are pleased that this case has gone no further, but it is vitally concerning that it got this far.“The CCTV footage reveals Karandeep being assaulted, threatened and surrounded, for expressing his Christian beliefs, yet it’s he that finally ends up being prosecuted by the police.“There are growing concerns over whether the UK government and authorities are defending free speech in the general public sphere. More should be done to guard free speech and cherished Christian freedoms in our town squares, not only in Walsall, but across the UK.”
