Preacher 'did not warn of bomb'

CLEARED . . . Patrick Raphael

A STREET preacher accused of telling commuters there was a bomb on a city centre tram has been found not guilty of causing passenger distress.

Patrick Raphael (52), appeared before Manchester magistrates' court charged with causing Metrolink users and other passers-by harassment, alarm or distress.

He denied this and after a short trial, magistrates found him not guilty.

It was stated that Mr Raphael, of Whitstable Close, Chadderton, regularly held sermons in the city centre, was accused of saying "there is a bomb on the tram gong to Bury".

But giving evidence he said this was not the case.

He told magistrates he had used the bomb as an illustration of his beliefs.

Appearing in the dock, Mr Raphael, who had been described at an earlier hearing as a "spiritual man", explained that what he had actually said was: "If there was a bomb on the tram to Bury and I knew, I would let you know.

"And if anyone didn't heed that warning, they would face the consequences."

The incident took place on March 12 and he was banned from preaching in the city centre during the run up to the trial.

After finding him not guilty, magistrates told him: "We find you did not use the words as reported with the intention to cause harassment, alarm or distress."