A 23-year-old Potters Bar woman who was arrested for displaying a poster of an aborted foetus, while campaigning for a seat on the Welsh Assembly, was given permission to carry on showing the picture by the High Court yesterday.
Fiona Pinto, from Osborne Gardens, who is tomorrow (May 1) standing for the Pro Life Party in Newport, south Wales, was arrested along with a party colleague, Joseph Biddulph, and charged with an offence under the 1986 Public Order Act.
The Act bans the display of material that is threatening, abusive or insulting within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress'. The poster, which displays an aborted foetus at 21 weeks, was also confiscated.
Miss Pinto challenged the police's actions at the High Court yesterday. Mr Justice Sullivan ruled that the poster should be returned to Miss Pinto to allow her to carry on campaigning.
But the judge said she must return the poster to police within 48 hours of the election, and refused to ban police from re-arresting her.
"I'm glad I got my poster back, but it has meant seven days of wasted campaigning," she said.
April 30, 2003 17:00
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