Pro-life pensioner to keep campaigning

12 May 2006 06:23

A pensioner last night vowed to continue his anti-abortion campaign despite being jailed for sending pictures of mutilated babies to staff at a Norfolk hospital.

Edward Atkinson, 74, was released from prison on Wednesday after he was convicted of posting malicious communications to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn.

The staunch Catholic told the EDP he had spent his time behind bars distributing pro-life leaflets to fellow inmates and removing pornography from their cell walls.

Mr Atkinson, who suffers from diabetes, hit the headlines earlier this week after it emerged the QEH had banned him from all non-emergency treatment.

Staff at the hospital were said to be distraught at the images, which were described as "offensive, horrendous and absolutely disgusting".

QEH chief executive Ruth May, who was reduced to tears while giving evidence against the pensioner, said the material had been "very upsetting".

But speaking last night, Mr Atkinson described the decision to ban him from treatment as "totally unjust" and insisted he would carry on with his campaign.

"If I was serving a sentence for murder I would still be allowed to have a hip replacement," he said.

"Why should I apologise. I have

done nothing wrong, all I tried to do was to try to educate. I want people

to know what is going on. Seven million unborn babies have been murdered."

Mr Atkinson, who lives in Hilgay, near Downham Market, described conditions in prison as "quite good".

In his few days, the pensioner said he had shared with three other inmates before he was moved to his own cell.

"I was trying to get a shaving brush for two weeks," he said.

"But I took several of these (pro-life) leaflets in with me and a life-size model of a 10-week old baby.

"I spoke to about 50 prisoners and didn't get one antagonistic answer from any of them.

"I also noticed pornography on the wall and I took them down, ripped them up and threw them in the bin"

Mr Atkinson, who is known as Ted, said he was not trying to upset people but was merely trying to educate staff at the QEH with the pictures.

He has been in and out of prison about 13 times for similar offences and is now well-known to the authorities.

Speaking at his home in Hilgay, he said he had served two years in the air force as national service and had been fired from a previous job as a hospital porter after he refused to push a woman into surgery for an abortion.

He was taken off a waiting list for a hip replacement at the QEH after sending in the pictures.

A spokesman for the hospital last night refused to comment on Mr Atkinson's interview with the EDP and defended the decision to ban treatment.

He said: "The staff feel it shows the NHS means what it says when it talks about abuse of staff and zero tolerance.

"The overall feeling has been positive from members of the public and staff. "There have been a handful of letters from people who hold very extreme views but the hospital won't be changing its mind."

As reported last week, Atkinson was jailed for 28 days at Swaffham Magistrates' court on Thursday.

He was released just six days later after he was remanded in custody to await the trial.

In court, district judge Phillip Brown said: "It is clear that you intended to shock and I am certain your purpose was to cause distress and anxiety."

The pensioner has been made subject to a five-year Anti-Social Behaviour Order, which bans him from sending any similar material to NHS staff.

He said he had not signed the ASBO and would continue his pro-life campaign but drew short of saying whether he would send any more leaflets to the QEH.

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