update: Gay couple win landmark legal fight against Christian B&B

A gay couple have won their legal fight against a Christian B&B in a landmark legal ruling today, Pink Paper can exclusively reveal.

We report on the verdict before any other news service.
  
Civil partners Martyn Hall and Steven Preddy attempted to book a room at the Chymorvah Hotel near Penzance in Cornwall, last September – but were turned away. 

As a result, they used the 2007 Sexual Orientation Regulations – secured by Stonewall to prevent discrimination against gay people in the delivery of public and commercial services – to sue owners Peter and Hazelmary Bull.

In their defence, the Bulls claimed they refused to let them share a room on the grounds it would be “an affront to their faith”.
  
But, in a victory for gay rights today, a landmark legal ruling found in favour of Hall and Preddy, this morning. 

The judge’s ruling in one of the first legal cases taken under the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 means that people in civil partnerships will have greater protection from discrimination.

Stonewall Chief Executive Ben Summerskill welcomed the ruling. He said: "We’re delighted with the outcome of this test case. You can’t turn away people from a hotel because they’re black or Jewish and in 2011 you shouldn’t be able to demean them by turning them away because they’re gay either.
 
"Religious freedom shouldn’t be used as a cloak for prejudice," he added.

"For the estimated £30,000 that this court case cost Mr and Mrs Bull and their supporters during the last month, Oxfam or Save the Children could have vaccinated 100,000 people against meningitis in sub-Saharan Africa. That would have been a more Christian way to spend their money during the festive season."


by Peter Lloyd with Stacey Cosens posted on http://news.pinkpaper.com  Reposted by adamfoxie*International