Thankful preacher will not be facing trial

LETTER - I am in the same congregation as Tony Rollins in Whitchurch ('Bible preacher case dropped', Star, September 11). We are pleased that Tony will not face trial.

Tony is not homophobic, as the passer-by who rang the police could have learned if he had stayed for the whole of Tony's message.

We shall nevertheless pray for him.

Tony's gospel message, that if you are sorry for what you have done wrong in God's world then he will forgive you if you follow Jesus Christ, is a message to the heart.

Since the heart cannot be changed by coercion, we are committed to freedom of conscience.

We also regard free speech as part of a healthy society. If you disagree with what somebody says, you are equally free to reply.

Or you can ignore it, because words - Tony never threatened violence - do not restrict you in any way.

Laws against hate speech are drafted on the basis (excuse?) that the public need protecting by Big Brother.

But Big Brother applies those laws selectively, against people who air views different from the approved line. The police are being used by minorities to shackle free speech.

Their heavy-handed and swift response to this complaint, when vandals terrorising people are ignored ('Why won't the police defend us', Letters, September 15), suggests that the police share this undemocratic agenda.

We shall continue to uphold free speech for all and we call for greater accountability of the police to the people.

Dr Anthony Garrett, Ellesmere