Oxford St preacher in court

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A street preacher harassed a pedestrian by telling him he was a "sinner" and would "burn in hell", a court heard today.

Philip Howard was using a megaphone to preach to shoppers on Oxford Street in central London when the incident allegedly took place.

Horseferry Road Magistrates Court heard that the 51-year-old launched into a "diatribe of abuse" after a passer-by asked him to turn the volume down.

Stanislaw Was said Howard leaned towards him and shouted: "Your hair's going grey, your skin's sagging, and that's because you're a sinner.

"When you die you're going to burn in hell."

Mr Was says he felt "intimidated" by the tirade.

"It was no sermon he was giving it was no words of wisdom. It was an angry rant.
"He made personal statements about me. I felt intimidated."

Dressed in a black jumper and clutching a small Bible, Howard, from Paddington in west London shook his head slightly as Mr Was gave evidence against him.
He denies the public order offence of causing harassment, alarm or distress during the incident in September last year.

 

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