Belfast Pride hate crime: Preacher Ryan Williamson has been arrested and prosecuted twice before - and aquitted of all charges

"Of course I don’t believe that homosexuals rape kids,” he said. “I believe what the rape is is the rape of our children’s identity.”

Mr Williamson has made many headlines before for his preaching. He has been arrested and prosecuted for his preaching in Larne and Dundalk.

Yet despite much public criticism for his actions, in both cases judges acquitted him of all charges, after his legal representatives argued that his religious opinions are protected under the European Convention of Human Rights.

On 24 June last year a judge in Dundalk dismissed the case against him and two associates for preaching against homosexuality - prompting their solicitor to accuse Garda of a ‘bogus prosecution’.

The men were arrested by Gardai in Dundalk on 21 September 2021 after being warned to stop preaching on homosexuality. When they declined, Ryan Williamson, 44, and his associates were all handcuffed, taken into Dundalk Garda station and charged with public order offences.

After hearings over two days, their solicitor Ciaran Mulholland of Mulholland law in Dundalk, told the News Letter that the Garda owed the trio answers.

“I would welcome the decision of District Judge McKiernan which vindicates my clients’ position that they were not in breach of public order nor inciting inflammatory statements.

“These three men all with deep faith; practicing Christians felt their only crime was preaching the word of Our Lord. After hearing evidence from the arresting Garda and the Accused the Judge rightfully dismissed all three cases over the last two days.The Garda declined to offer any response.

Mr Williamson said after being acquitted: “Our barrister said in court that According to Article 9 and 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, you are entitled to express those views publicly. He also said that the preamble to the Irish Constitution says that Jesus Christ and the most Holy Trinity are the ultimate authority in the affairs of state.”

Only days later, on 27 June last year, he was cleared of all charges for similar preaching in Larne.Police were called to investigate reports that he was committing hate speech in Larne on 10 August 2019. However when they arrived and directed him to stop preaching he refused, and they arrested him for disorderly behavior.

In Ballymena Magistrates Court Mr Williamson pleaded not guilty to charges of disorderly behaviour and was found not guilty, with the case being dismissed.Mr Williamson’s solicitor, Paul Dougan from John J Rice Solicitors in Belfast, welcomed the outcome.“We never believed that it was disorderly behaviour,” he told the News Letter.

“Obviously Mr Williamson was innocent until proven guilty. And it is quite clear from the court today that the judge, having heard the evidence, dismissed the prosecution’s case as not having satisfied the burden of proof that it was disorderly behaviour.

“The judge agreed with our submission that what was being spoken about publicly was well within Mr Williamson’s [European] convention rights - articles ten and eleven - and the judge agreed with that.”He added: “From a defense perspective I think they shouldn’t have taken the case, because as we said from the outset, this was never a scenario of disorderly behaviour as defined by the statute.”

The businessman affirmed that they receive much criticism from both believers and unbelievers for their street preaching and that they are regularly assaulted by members of the public. However he claimed he also also receives much support - again from both unbelievers and believers.“Lots of people weep and pray with us and tell us that they have received Christ,” he said. “Anywhere from two to ten a month.”.

Larne based independent catholic Bishop Fr Pat Buckley has frequently demonstrated against Mr Williamson when he preaches in the town. He offered only a very short comment on the outcome of the case, expressing strong dissatisfaction with the law and with street preachers in general.

“I hope they stay from Larne,” he told the News Letter. “We don’t want them here”.