A Christian street preacher who was arrested on Easter Sunday 2020 for supporting homeless people during the Covid lockdown has won his two-year legal battle.
Andrew Sathiyavan, 47, was arrested, detained in a police cell, and issued with a fine for preaching and supporting the homeless during lockdown.
A Deputy District Judge had initially upheld his fine, but now a Crown Court Judge has overturned that decision.
Ruling in his favour, the Crown Court emphasised that Sathiyavan’s ‘motives were genuine; that he believed he was carrying out a serious endeavour’.
The ruling states that Sathiyavan had a reasonable excuse for leaving his house during the lockdown under the regulations and that he was providing ‘voluntary and charitable services’.
