From nobody@REPLAY.COM Fri Sep 22 15:33:29 BST 1995 Copyright 1995 The Australian Associated Press. Redistribution unauthorised. LONDON, Sept 20 AAP - An Adelaide journalist was cleared today of charges of theft brought against her by the Church of Scientology following an investigative report into the church. The City of London Magistrates Court heard that the church tried to entrap Alison Braund while she was working under cover for a British television company. Chairman of the bench, Hinda Style, said there had been an abuse of process and awarded Stg15,400 ($A31,448) costs against the prosecution. "It's a great decision," Ms Braund said outside the court. "It's a real victory for journalists doing their job in the interest of the public and a victory against pressure groups like the Church of Scientology who harass people through the courts. I shall carry on investigating." Ms Braund filmed inside the church's premises in Bournemouth, south England, using spectacles containing a small camera. Despite an attempt by the church to have it stopped, the program was broadcast on July 13 this year. The Dianetics and Scientology Mission of Bournemouth had brought private summons against Ms Braund, Twenty Twenty Television Ltd and producer Claudia Milne under the Theft Act. They allegedly obtained a course book and entry to a course known as the Hubbard Qualified Scientologist Course through deception by falsely representing that their reason was exclusively religious and spiritual. Barrister Peter Thornton, representing the journalist, said 27-year-old Ms Braund's family in Australia had been threatened. But Ms Braund later said the wrong word had been used and they had been contacted by scientologists asking about her and where she could be contacted. Mr Thornton said Ms Braund, identified by the church as Alison Davis, enrolled in the course last May. On June 12, members of the church used two hidden cameras to record her secretly. "The church sought to entrap her by placing deliberately documents headed "highly confidential' in the room and leaving her on her own," Mr Thornton said. She allegedly placed the top copy in her bag. The police were called and she was arrested. But after an investigation, the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to charge her. The church had also complained to the Attorney-General that the program would constitute a contempt of court if broadcast and asked him to issue an injunction. It was refused. Mr Thornton said the church was being "vexatious and oppressive". Obtaining entry to the course did not confer a benefit under the Theft Act and dishonesty was not involved in the accepted sense. "We consider there has been an abuse of process because the actions of the prosecution in bringing this particular prosecution pre-empted the decision of the Crown Prosecution Service and that taking out the summons was oppressive," Mrs Style said in delivering her verdict. AAP str/dw/mkg