Anti-abortionist expects seventh jail term soon

Press, 1 September 1989, Page 14

Anti-abortionist expects seventh jail term soon

PA Auckland An anti-abortionist Ross Bolton, jailed six times for trespassing at the Epsom Day Hospital, has not reoffended since his last release. Back at his Otara home with his wife, Jenny, and son, Peter-John, aged three, Mr Bolton said there was a strong likelihood that he would return to the hospital, but not immediately. He has been arrested 12 times for trespassing at the clinic during his abortion protest, the last time the day after being released from prison.

He received the maximum penalty of three months* imprisonment and served two months in Mt Eden Prison.

Mr Bolton, aged-51, a Christian, said he gained a new awareness in Mt Eden. "When I first started campaigning just over two years ago, I became aware that most New Zealanders did not understand that unborn babies were being killed in unspeakable agony. "In my last month in Mt Eden I became aware that most New Zealanders do now know these babies are being killed, although they don’t want to know how.”

He said the new awareness came to him through a letter from a Geraldine schoolgirl who wrote to him after discussing abortion with her friends. He said he had “a new

callihg from God to speak to the church in New Zealand about its sin in ignoring what was happening to these babies.” Mr Bolton said he enjoyed being with the other prison inmates, who collected 50 signatures for an anti-abortion petition to send to Parliament. He also fasted for eight days in support of an American baby who was starved to death because it was born with Down’s syndrome.

He was aware that he would automatically get another three months’ prison sentence if he returned to the clinic. Mrs Bolton said she missed her husband while in jail, but supported his views.