Street evangelist Mike Overd is being prosecuted for an alleged religious aggravation public order offence, it was reported in October.
The charges follow a complaint to police in Taunton that Mike made a comparison between the perfect life of Jesus and the life of Mohammed. Police have informed the former paratrooper that the Crown Prosecution Service wishes to bring three charges against him under Section 5 of the Public Order Act.
‘Causing offence’
A Taunton police sergeant gave an interview to BBC TV and a local newspaper, urging residents and local traders to film the evangelist’s preaching as it was alleged that Mike’s preaching was ‘causing offence.’
Mike insists that when he made a comparison between the perfect life of Jesus and the life led by Mohammed, he did not speak in a hateful way.
‘It was a simple comparison and it was factual. Mohammed did marry a nine-year-old girl. I have no hatred of Muslims in me at all and only preach the truth of the gospel. Recently a Muslim man came to my defence when I was preaching and a local shopkeeper started to shout at me. The Muslim gentleman didn’t take offence because he said he knew I was simply preaching what I believed.’
