David Lynn (pictured above holding a placard, library image) , a pastor from Canada, was detained outside Barking underground station after a female passer-by told officers he made homophobic comments.

Mr Lynn denies that he called a homosexual lady “perverse” and “sinful” as he told shoppers that love can only be truly found through a right relationship with Jesus.

He said: “What happened on Tuesday shocked me, and I am grateful to the Christian Legal Centre (CLC) for responding immediately to my arrest and helping me avoid being charged”.

Lawyers supporting Mr Lynn say he was arrested without being given the opportunity to explain his account of what happened.

Representatives at the CLC say police admitted that officers were wrong to arrest him and they expressed regret over his 20-hour detention at the Fresh Wharf Custody Base in Barking.

Chief executive, Andrea Williams said: “The police’s readiness to arrest David is another example of the freedom of street preachers being curtailed.

“We are delighted that he has not been charged for sharing the good news of Jesus, and we remain committed to providing expert legal support, free of charge, where street preachers face trouble with the police.”

Lawyers for Mr Lynn, who leads a church in Toronto, claims he was freed on Wednesday after police admitted they were wrong to…

Twenty-two per cent of those aged between 16 and 29-years-old said they identified as Christian, while 70 per cent described themselves as non-religious.

Only four countries – Czech Republic (nine-per-cent), Sweden (18-per-cent), Estonia (19-per-cent) and the Netherlands (19-percent) – were found to have fewer Christians, as a proportion of the wider young adult population.

Graham Nicholls, leader of the Affinity network of evangelical churches in the UK and Ireland told Premier the figures represent the knock-on effect of a spiritual decline among preceding generations.

He said: “If there’s a decline in belief in Christianity and preaching of the Gospel, you get the next generation who don’t really believe it anymore but are practising.

“And, then you get the next generation who neither belief or practise it and are willing to say that.”

In contrast, 83-per-cent and 74-per-cent of young adults in Poland and Lithuania respectively identified as Christian, as did 59-per cent of…