A legal challenge brought by an anti-abortion protester convicted of breaching an Ealing Council “safe zone” outside MSI Reproductive Choices on Mattock Lane has been rejected by the High Court, bringing a three-year case to an end.
Stephen Green, 74, from Carmarthen in Wales, travelled to Ealing in February 2023 and protested within an area covered by a Public Spaces Protection Order. The safe zone was first made a PSPO in 2018 and came following concerns about the actions of pro-life and pro-choice protest groups outside the clinic.
Green refused to pay a £100 fixed penalty notice issued in March 2023. Ealing Council prosecuted him at Uxbridge magistrates court in January 2024, where he was convicted of failing to comply with the order. He received a 12-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £2,426 in costs.
His appeal was dismissed at Isleworth crown court on 15 January 2025, with the judge ordering him to pay a further £7,536.50 in prosecution costs.
Green then sought a judicial review. At a hearing on 12 February 2026, the High Court refused permission, stating there were “no arguable grounds for judicial review” and “no realistic prospect of success”.
Councillor Jasbir Anand, Ealing Council’s cabinet member for tackling crime and antisocial behaviour, said: “We hope the High Court’s judgment puts an end to Mr Green’s continuous appeals and this long-running saga. We introduced the safe zone on Mattock Lane to protect women at an intensely personal and vulnerable moment in their lives. Every woman has the right to access lawful healthcare free from intimidation, harassment or distress.
“The borough was proud to be a trailblazer in establishing one of the first safe zones in the country, putting the safety, dignity and privacy of women first. This was about protection, not politics.
“We fully respect the right to protest, but that right does not extend to targeting women outside a healthcare facility. Mr Green’s behaviour was unacceptable. This ruling sends a clear message: if you breach the safe zone and interfere with women’s rights, we will not hesitate to act.”
Louise McCudden, advocacy lead at MSI Reproductive Choices UK, previously said in 2025: “The local safe zone is very important for our clients and our frontline healthcare workers. The zone is there to make sure anyone who needs it can access confidential medical care without being harassed and intimidated by strangers.”
Ms McCudden added: “Every day we are grateful that Ealing Council introduced this protection. At a time when we’re seeing global attempts to roll back reproductive rights, most notably in the United States, it could not be more important to stand up for women and girls.”
 outside the MSI Reproductive Choices health clinic in Ealing.){kind=link}