Preacher barred from going near Mormons

The Telegraph/November 30, 2004

The Mormon church has won a High Court injunction against an evangelical preacher whose pursuit of their missionaries "bordered on the obsessional."

Mr. Justice Beatson imposed an exclusion order on Andrew Price, a minister in the Church of England (Continuing).

The judge said the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints had established its case in nuisance and harassment.

According to the injunction, Mr. Price, from South Acton in west London, cannot go within 30 metres of all but one of the church's properties.

Another order prevents him from contacting any missionaries on their mobile phones, by voice or text, unless express permission has been given and not withdrawn.

Mr. Price had shouted and screamed outside services and meetings, followed missionaries on to buses, tube trains and into Sainsbury's, gone to their homes and bombarded them with up to 4,000 cold-calls, the hearing had heard.

Justice Beatson said: "His behaviour, although undoubtedly based on sincere religious beliefs, bordered on the obsessional."

Mr. Price denied his comments were abusive or that he harassed church members or their visitors.

He said all he did was criticise the church's alleged clandestine beliefs in the light of scriptural orthodoxy and the 39 Articles of the Church of England.