Pastor Steve Maile of Oasis City Church in Watford, England, says he was arrested while street preaching on April 18 and now faces an investigation into a public order offense after a complainant objected to his comments about Islam. The 66-year-old, a New Zealand native who has spent decades in ministry and mission work, was handcuffed by Hertfordshire Constabulary during a short sermon and later released on bail. The Christian Legal Centre is backing his case and has flagged concerns about how officers handled the encounter. This article walks through what happened on the high street, the charges mentioned, the legal backdrop in the U.K., and reactions from Maile and advocacy groups.
Steve Maile is a gospel singer and the senior pastor at Oasis City Church in Watford, a town just outside London where he often preaches publicly and performs adapted songs to share Christian messages. He says he has done mission work around the world for 45 years and that his street preaching that day included a ten-minute gospel message. Maile insists his intent was to call people to faith, not to incite hatred.
According to accounts of the incident, a complaint prompted officers to approach Maile while he preached on the high street. Video shows him being handcuffed behind his back, and an officer reportedly told him he was under arrest on allegations of assaulting a child. Maile continued to preach while being restrained, disputing the claim and insisting he had committed no crime.
One of Maile’s on-camera lines during the arrest was, “You repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you’ll be saved,” which he directed at officers as they led him away. A female officer was captured responding, “In the name of Jesus, get in the car.” Maile says his family watched and filmed the encounter, and he says he was stunned by how quickly the situation escalated.
Maile told reporters, “It’s called inciting religious hatred — which is false,” while defending the content of his sermon. He added, “The cross of Christ is a message of hope, love, mercy, and reconciliation to a fallen world… How could that be hate?” Those words underline his view that preaching the exclusivity of Christian faith is not the same as promoting hostility toward others.
Hertfordshire Police confirmed an arrest of a man in his 60s on suspicion of assault and a Section 5 public order offense described as racially or religiously aggravated disorderly behavior. Officers say the man was released on bail while inquiries into the public order allegation continue and that the conduct of the officers was reviewed with no further action necessary. The assault allegation was later dropped, Maile says, though the public order matter remains under investigation.
Maile reports he was detained for 12 hours without access to his phone and was not allowed to use the restroom during part of that time, and he says officers double handcuffed him for around 90 minutes. He claims the restraints caused significant pain and left him needing wrist splints for three weeks. The pastor says the experience left him feeling shocked and bewildered after decades of ministry work.
Under U.K. law, a Section 5 offense can be applied when threatening or abusive words are used that are likely to cause “harassment, alarm, or distress,” and a “religiously aggravated” designation can lead to harsher penalties than a standard fine. Those facing such charges can still see fines or, in more severe or repeated cases, custodial sentences. Maile warns that he could be looking at months or years of legal limbo before the matter reaches a court.
The Christian Legal Centre, which is representing or supporting Maile, called the arrest “deeply troubling” and criticized how a peaceful preacher was treated. Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said the footage raises “fundamental questions about whether policing in this country is now criminalizing Christianity while failing to apply the law equally and consistently.” The centre argues the arrest signals a worrying trend for public religious expression.
Maile has been clear that he preaches the exclusivity of the gospel and accepts that some will find that message challenging, but he insists that his words are not hateful. He said, “I don’t preach hate. I don’t preach violence. I preach the love of God, the mercy of God and the goodness of God in Christ Jesus,” and he emphasized the call to conversion with, “Everybody needs to come by the way of the cross … And nobody gets a free pass.” Those lines capture why he believes his arrest was unjust.
He is currently on bail and seeking legal advice as the matter winds through the system, and he says it could be up to a year before his case comes before a judge. Maile has vowed not to back down, telling supporters, “They chose the wrong man because I’m not going to capitulate,” and adding, “I’ve got great news. God is on my side.” For now, the case remains an active investigation and a flashpoint in debates over free expression, public order, and the limits of street preaching in the U.K.
