DPP: Pastor McConnell's remarks were sufficiently offensive to prosecute

Iman Sheikh Dr Muhammad Al-Hussaini with Pastor James McConnell, outside the latter's trial at Belfast's Laganside Court for a sermon he made about Islam. Dr Al-Hussaini spoke of his "love and concern" for Pastor McConnell as he saw him being grilled in the witness dock.

Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEyeIman Sheikh Dr Muhammad Al-Hussaini with Pastor James McConnell, outside the latter's trial at Belfast's Laganside Court for a sermon he made about Islam. Dr Al-Hussaini spoke of his "love and concern" for Pastor McConnell as he saw him being grilled in the witness dock.

Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye
Iman Sheikh Dr Muhammad Al-Hussaini with Pastor James McConnell, outside the latter's trial at Belfast's Laganside Court for a sermon he made about Islam. Dr Al-Hussaini spoke of his "love and concern" for Pastor McConnell as he saw him being grilled in the witness dock. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye
In part four of an interview with the News Letter (links to other parts beneath article), Northern Ireland's lead prosecutor Barra McGrory tells Ben Lowry that he does not have regrets about charging Pastor James McConnell for his sermon on Islam:

The outgoing Director of Public Prosecutions has been involved in numerous controversial cases, as will be anyone in his position at any time, let alone when the legacy of the Troubles is disputed.

But perhaps no prosecution was more controversial than that of Pastor James McConnell, for making an anti Islamic sermon in 2014.

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Asked about the case, Barra McGrory, who steps down in the autumn, says: “Well that’s one of those cases – I know you have a view of it [the interviewer wrote articles fiercely critical of the decision to prosecute and the law behind it – see links below], others have a view of it, they thought it was the wrong decision.

Barra McGrory , Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland, speaks to the News Letter at the PPS office in Belfast.
 Pic Colm Lenaghan/PacemakerBarra McGrory , Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland, speaks to the News Letter at the PPS office in Belfast.
 Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker
Barra McGrory , Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland, speaks to the News Letter at the PPS office in Belfast. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker

“I’m comfortable with the decision in that the [pastor’s] remarks were considered by the district judge to have been offensive and very offensive but he didn’t think that they met the threshold of grossly offensive which merited a conviction.

“I’m very comfortable with that verdict.”

Pastor McConnell was acquitted of “grossly offensive” remarks during the sermon, in which he said that Islam is “satanic” and “heathen”.

Each day of the trial, the public gallery was packed with supporters of the minister. Father Paddy McCafferty, a Catholic priest who attended throughout, told the News Letter after seeing the pastor grilled by prosecutors: “It is shameful that this man who is a good man should be put through this ordeal.”

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Barra McGrory , Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland, speaks to the News Letter at the PPS office in Belfast.
 Pic Colm Lenaghan/PacemakerBarra McGrory , Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland, speaks to the News Letter at the PPS office in Belfast.
 Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker
Barra McGrory , Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland, speaks to the News Letter at the PPS office in Belfast. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker

A Muslim scholar who flew to Belfast to back Mr McConnell, Imam Sheikh Muhammad Al-Hussaini, spoke of his “love and concern” for the preacher in the witness box as he was fiercely grilled by a prosecution lawyer.

Reflecting on the trial 18 months later, Mr McGrory adds: “The problem with those cases is that there aren’t very many of them. The prosecutor has to apply the test of whether or not there is a reasonable prospect of a conviction.

“The remarks were sufficiently offensive in my view to bring it over the prosecutorial threshold, as did those who worked on the case here.

“The fact that the district judge didn’t think that the remarks were over that threshold is not something I’ve any great issue with.”

Does Mr McGrory have any retrospective regrets?

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“No, no and I think Pastor McConnell has acknowledged that the remarks offended a great number of people and that he might think twice about using that language again.”