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May 3rd, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda A Brisbane father-of-seven who blocks the entrance to abortion clinics has been jailed for almost eight months, after refusing to pay fines relating to his protests as a matter of “principle”.
Graham Preston, 57, was yesterday taken into custody after failing to pay $8000 worth of court-issued fines for offences including trespassing and resisting arrest, which have accumulated over a decade.
His 26-year-old son, Daniel, told ninemsn his father would rather go to jail than pay because he did not believe there was anything wrong with his actions.
“He non-violently blocks doors to prevent access and believes he has legal grounds to do this,” Daniel said.
“He believes refusing to pay the fines up until he goes to jail is the right thing to do.
“If he were to intervene to protect a child one month old he would be regarded as a hero. His actions are non-violent, he never assaults anyone, he just obstructs.”
The practise manager at Greenslopes Day Surgery, one of the clinics targeted by Preston, told ninemsn he “intimidated” clients as they tried to enter.
“He stands there and intimidates girls and women as they try to walk in. He shows them photos of full-term babies, which is not what we do,” Vicki Brumley said.
“They’re already traumatised enough having to come here and have it done. Some come in crying because he makes them feel even more guilty.”
Ms Brumley did not believe Preston deterred women from having abortions as “most have already decided it is the right choice for them”.
“People have all sorts of reasons for having an abortion. Some people do it as a form of contraception but we get people with Down Syndrome babies, young girls who aren’t ready, people do this for all reasons.”
Preston has been involved in the pro-life movement for about 25 years and started protesting outside Brisbane abortion clinics 10 years ago.
This is the first time he has served time in jail for a conviction, despite being found guilty of trespassing and fined on numerous occasions.
The State Penalties Enforcement Registry (SPER) contacted Mr Preston more than 100 times over the past 10 years in a bid to get him to pay the fines, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice and Attorney-General said.
“Even an offer to undertake unpaid community services was refused,” the spokesperson said.
Preston is now serving time because each fine carried a default imprisonment period to be served if it wasn’t paid.
Abortion is illegal in Queensland except in cases to protect the mother’s life or her physical or mental wellbeing, the spokesperson said.
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