Ban on Mormon tempting preacher

12:09pm Friday 3rd December 2004

A CHISWICK man has had an injunction taken out against him after he was accused of bombarding members of the Mormons with phone calls and text messages to tempt them from their faith.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was granted an injunction at the High Court following a prolonged campaign by Andrew Price, an Evangelical Christian preacher.

Price was also banned from going within 30 yards of any Mormon mission, with the exception of its central London headquarters in south Kensington, where he is barred from standing on the same side of the road.

The judge presiding over the case was told that Price, 44, had made over 4,000 cold calls to Mormon missionaries, preached for 30 minutes at members travelling on the tube, chased them down the street and had even spent three hours knocking at a church elder's door.

He was reported to have likened Mormonism's presentation as being like a venus fly trap, attracting insects inside and then trapping them.

He said that he had persisted in his attempts to evangelise Mormons because he believed many of them had been brainwashed.

Speaking in court, Price tried to defend his right to preach as a fundamental religious freedom and stated that any injunction would "cripple my work."

Criticising the preacher, the judge said: "His behaviour, although entirely based on sincere religious belief, bordered on the obsessive."

Mr Justice Beatson added: "I have concluded that activities the defendant describes as preaching, and the defendant describes as addressing and challenging, can accurately be described as ranting."

He also labelled Price's behaviour as "distressing, intimidating and to some extent alarming."

A blanket injunction was granted to prevent Price harassing groups of Mormons throughout the country.

Price, who defended himself, now faces the possibility of a legal bill of £30,000 to pay the Mormons' costs.

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