Bristol street preachers 'arrested for not knowing address'

Michael Overd (left) and Mike Stockwell were convicted and later cleared of a religiously aggravated public order offence

American street preachers were arrested for being unable to give the address of where they were staying, a court heard.

Mike Stockwell and Don Karns were two of four men arrested at Bristol's Broadmead Shopping Centre in July 2016.

Mr Stockwell, Mr Karns, Michael Overd and Adrian Clarke have brought claims against Avon and Somerset Police.

Mr Overd and Mr Stockwell were convicted of a religiously aggravated public order offence in February 2017 but were cleared on appeal.

The four men are claiming assault, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, misfeasance in a public office and infringement of their human rights.

An hour-long video recorded by Mr Overd on a bodycam showed the men preaching to shoppers before he was arrested.

Appearing at Bristol County Court via videolink, Mr Stockwell and Mr Karns said they told officers they were staying with Mr Overd in Somerset but they did not know his home address.

'Go to hell and burn'

Mr Karns said an officer had told him he had to give Mr Overd's address "within 50 seconds" or he too would be detained.

He said he was also unaware he had been arrested on suspicion of a religiously aggravated public order offence until December 2016.

But Mark Ley-Morgan, for Avon and Somerset Police, said Mr Karns was told what he had been been arrested for on the day of his arrest.

The court heard a police officer had discussions with Mr Overd on another occasion when he preached in Glastonbury.

Mr Ley-Morgan said Mr Overd was only told to move on by the officer following an anonymous complaint that he had said a gay couple would "go to hell and burn" on 14 January 2017.

He said that showed officers would "seek to gain cooperation when they have complaints and take action when they absolutely have to".

But Mr Overd said the treatment he had received was "atrocious".

The case continues.