Case Summaries 2006-2015 Case Summaries 2006–2015 – 2 Christian Legal Centre Case Summaries 2006-2015 Case Summaries 2006–2015 – 4 Contents About us 6 Rev’d Mahboob Masih (radio presenter) 25 Suspended for discussing Christianity on air Meet the Team 8 Introduction to our cases 10 Kwabena Peat (teacher) 26 Dismissed for opposing staff training by a homosexual activist Christianity in the Workplace Theresa Davies (registrar) 27 Demoted for refusing to perform same-sex Richard Page (family magistrate) 12 civil partnerships Disciplined for believing children need a mother and a father David Booker (charity worker) 28 Dismissed for discussing his faith with a Victoria Wasteney (NHS manager) 13 colleague Suspended for giving a Christian book to a Muslim colleague Caroline Petrie (nurse) 29 Suspended for offering to pray with a patient Nohad Halawi (airport worker) 14 Dismissed for speaking about Christ to a Muslim Graham Cogman (police officer) 30 colleague Dismissed for expressing Christian view of marriage Celestina Mba (children’s worker) 15 Wayne Follet (teacher) 31 Forced to resign for upholding the Sabbath Dismissed for offering to pray with a client Sarah Mbuyi (nursery nurse) 16 Andrew McClintock (family magistrate) 32 Dismissed for expressing Christian view of marriage Forced to resign for saying children need a mother and a father Margaret Jones (senior deputy registrar) 17 Dismissed for refusing to perform same-sex Denise Haye (council worker) 33 ‘marriages’ Dismissed for expressing Christian view of marriage Gary McFarlane (relationships counsellor) 18 Dismissed for Christian beliefs about sexual ethics Christianity in Service Provision Shirley Chaplin (nurse) 19 Disciplined for wearing a cross Core Issues Trust (Christian charity) 36 Adverts banned by the Mayor of London, Christina Summers (councillor) 20 Boris Johnson Dismissed from Green Party for same-sex ‘marriage’ vote Jeff & Sue Green (guesthouse owners) 37 Investigated by Government equality body for Dr Richard Scott (GP) 21 ‘unlawful room policy’ Found guilty of ‘malpractice’ for sharing his faith with a patient Dr Mike Davidson (psychotherapist) 38 Professional accreditation denied for supporting Colin Atkinson (electrician) 22 therapeutic help for unwanted same-sex attraction Dismissed for displaying a cross in his work van Lesley Pilkington (counsellor) 39 Dr Sheila Matthews (community paediatrician) 23 Lost professional accreditation for counselling Disciplined for believing children need a mother ‘undercover’ homosexual journalist and a father Duke Amachree (homeless prevention officer) 24 Dismissed for sharing his faith with a client Christian Legal Centre Case Summaries 2006–2015 – 5 Fostering & Adoption Josh Williamson (street preacher) 56 Unlawfully arrested and detained Christian adoptive parents 42 Seperated from children Mike Overd (street preacher) 57 Unlawfully arrested and detained Owen and Eunice Johns (foster carers) 43 Rejected as foster parents for refusing to promote All Nations Centre in Kennington 57 homosexuality to young children Issued with a noise abatement notice John & Colette Yallop (foster carers) 44 Prevented from fostering for saying children need a married mother and father Sex Trade The Christian Legal Centre has fought against Vincent & Pauline Matherick (foster carers) 45 Sex Entertainment Venues in: Almost stopped from fostering for refusing to sign ‘equality’ policy Lowestoft 60 Maidstone 61 Bedford Christianity in Academic Oxford 62 Macclesfield Institutions Durham Exeter Christian Union 48 Suspended for requiring members to sign a statement of faith Advocating for life Nikki and Merv Kenward 64 Lydia Playfoot (student) 48 Challenging DPP’s decision to liberalise assisted Disciplined for wearing a purity ring suicide policy Edinburgh University Christian Union 49 Suspended for running a course advocating Aisling Hubert (campaigner) 64 sexual purity Launched private prosecution against doctors for illegal abortions Andy Stephenson & Kathryn Sloane (Abort67) 65 Freedom of Expression Arrested for speaking up for the unborn child Mike Overd (street preacher) 52 Pro-Life Alliance 65 Convicted of a public order offence Challenge against suppression of abortion statistics Rob Hughes (street preacher) 43 Unlawfully arrested and detained Comment on Reproductive Ethics 66 & Christian Legal Centre Christian Concern 53 Challenge against animal-human hybrid licenses Had its marriage conference cancelled by the Law Society and QEII Centre Jacqueline McGinn 66 Refused permission to save her frozen embryos Tony Miano (street preacher) 55 Christianity ridiculed & mocked Unlawfully arrested and detained Christian Legal Centre 68 Posting of blasphemous poem Dominic Muir (street preacher) 56 Wrongfully accused of breaching byelaws Emily Mapfuwa 68 Exhibition of obscene statue Case Summaries 2006–2015 – 6 About us Why What we exist we do The Christian Legal Centre exists to Since 2006, we’ve helped dozens of protect the freedom of Christians to Christians and Christian organisations live out their faith in public life. who have been challenged for living out their faith. Changes in legislation have made it harder for Christians to do this, We’ve represented, among others: particularly in the workplace. There is • Christians who have been now increasing pressure for Christians disciplined, blacklisted or dismissed to “leave their faith at the door”. from their jobs for acting in line We provide Christians with the legal with their Biblical convictions. support and expertise that they need, • Charities and businesses that have but which they otherwise wouldn’t be faced opposition for holding to a able to access or afford themselves. Christian ethos. • Street preachers who have been arrested and held in custody for preaching the gospel in public places. • University Christian Unions that have been opposed for attempting to run their groups in line with Christian principles. • Churches that have been refused planning permission or issued with noise-abatement notices. • Churches that have opposed Sex Entertainment Venues in their local areas. Christian Legal Centre Case Summaries 2006–2015 – 7 Why it Our sister How we’re matters organisation funded Our work goes beyond supporting Christian Concern runs alongside, Our work is funded solely by the individual Christians and and complements, the work of the donations of our supporters. organisations. Since they highlight Christian Legal Centre. It campaigns the current scale and intensity of to protect Christian freedoms and challenges against Christian faith, promote the Christian faith as the our cases are often reported across best foundation for a free and the media. This coverage affects flourishing society. public opinion on the issues, as well Christian Concern has a mailing list as influencing law-makers. of over 80,000 supporters. If you’d like Our work therefore has a level of to join the list and receive up-to-date influence beyond the courtroom — it information about our cases and extends into the public square, where campaigns, please visit policy decisions are debated and www.christianconcern.com implemented. Case Summaries 2006–2015 – 8 Meet the team Andrea Minichiello Williams Founder and CEO, Christian Concern & the Christian Legal Centre Andrea is a barrister who has practised at all levels of the British judicial system. After pioneering the Student and Policy work of the Lawyers Christian Fellowship, she went on to found Christian Concern and the Christian Legal Centre, which have run some of the most high-profile Christian freedom cases and campaigns in Europe. She is a leading analyst, campaigner and spokeswoman on issues of national importance in the moral life of the nation, and a defender of Christian liberties in the parliamentary process, the justice system and the media. Paul Diamond Standing Counsel to the Christian Legal Centre Paul Diamond is a leading barrister in the law of religious liberty and specialises in bringing difficult cases Libby Powell to the attention of the British public. Case Worker, His case history includes defending the Christian Legal Centre freedom of a British Airways worker who was refused permission to wear Libby has worked at the Christian the cross at work, a Christian couple Legal Centre since 2008. She is a who were banned from fostering on qualified solicitor and manages new account of their biblical beliefs on case enquiries and case progression, marriage and sexual ethics, and a as well as providing guidance on a nurse who was penalised for offering range of Christian freedom issues. to pray with a patient. He has Libby counts it a great privilege to contributed to various articles in legal be able to assist Christians who are journals, including an academic article facing difficulties because of their on European law which was endorsed faith and she is always encouraged by Lord Denning. Paul has appeared at to see how God is glorified through all levels of the court system including the work of the Christian Legal the House of Lords and the European Centre. Court of Human Rights. Christian Legal Centre Case Summaries 2006–2015 – 9 Rob Andrews Allied lawyer to the Christian Legal Centre Rob qualified as a solicitor in 1992 and has extensive experience in dispute resolution work. As a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, he is experienced in arbitration, mediation and other forms of conflict resolution. Rob Michael Philips assists the Christian Legal Centre Allied lawyer to the in its employment law cases and is Christian