‘Christian Legal Centre’-backed evangelist acquitted after handing out ‘anti-LGBTQ+’ leaflets in Soho

The Christian Legal Centre is celebrating what it has described as a major free speech victory after a Christian evangelist was acquitted of a public order offence linked to the distribution of a leaflet criticised by LGBTQ+ residents in Soho.

Richard Johnson, 72, was cleared at City of London Magistrates' Court after being prosecuted over an evangelical tract titled Doom Town, which was handed out in Soho in April 2025.

The leaflet, which draws on the biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah, contains references to homosexuality, sin and divine judgement. Two complainants told the court they found the material offensive, with one describing it as "shameful" and "inflammatory".

A key point of contention during the trial was Soho's status as one of London's best-known LGBTQ+ neighbourhoods.

One complainant argued that Soho should be regarded as a "safe space" for LGBTQ+ people and questioned why literature condemning same-sex relationships was being distributed in an area long associated with queer culture and community.

The complainant said he was angered by the leaflet's references to homosexuality and AIDS, later contacting Johnson using a phone number printed on the tract to describe the material as "disgusting" and inform him that he would be reporting the incident to police.

The Crown Prosecution Service argued that the context of distributing such material in Soho was relevant to the case. However, magistrates ultimately ruled that prosecutors had failed to prove the offence under the Public Order Act.

While the court accepted that the leaflet had caused offence and distress, it concluded that the legal threshold for criminal liability had not been met.

The case was backed by the Christian Legal Centre, the legal advocacy arm of Christian Concern, which has frequently supported Christians involved in disputes over public preaching, workplace expression and LGBTQ+ equality issues.

Following the acquittal, Christian Legal Centre chief executive Andrea Williams described the prosecution as deeply concerning. "The prosecution's reliance on Soho being an LGBT 'safe space' was deeply troubling," she said.

"No part of London can become a censorship zone in which lawful Christian beliefs are subjected to a different standard because some people find them offensive."

The leaflet at the centre of the dispute was distributed in Soho, a district widely regarded as the heart of LGBTQ+ London and home to many queer venues, organisations and community spaces.

During proceedings, one complainant said the material felt directed at LGBTQ+ people and argued that its distribution in Soho was particularly upsetting given the area's significance to the community.

The court heard that Johnson had specifically spoken about having previously had relationships with men before becoming a born-again Christian, and that he had handed out literature addressing homosexuality while in the area.