Church members pray for a former Bromley clergyman facing jail for peacefully practising his religion.

Youssef Ourahmane, 50, has been hauled before the courts in Algeria for “insulting” Islam by running a Christian support group.

The missionary returned to his native Oran in the north African country last summer after preaching at Bromley Baptist Church for six years.

Now he has the threat of a three-year jail term and £3,000 fine hanging over his head in a crackdown on non-Muslim worship by the authorities.

Youssef’s Bromley church friends have set up prayer groups and are on tenterhoooks while the court issues a written judgement when he can lodge an appeal.

Reverend Simon Jones said: “He is very hard-working and committed to the life of a

minister, so we are all devastated.”

Meantime, Youssef can move freely and is now living with his wife Heetee and their three teenage daughters in Europe.