[bbfan1991]

A gay couple who were turned away from a bed and breakfast were discriminated against, it has been ruled.

Michael Black, 64, and John Morgan, 59, booked a double room at the Swiss Bed and Breakfast in Berkshire via email.

When they arrived in March 2010, owner Susanne Wilkinson would not let them stay in a room with a double bed.

The couple, from Brampton near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire were awarded £1,800 each at Reading County Court for "injury to feelings".

Recorder Claire Moulder said that by refusing the couple access to a double room, Mrs Wilkinson had "treated them less favourably than she would treat unmarried heterosexual couples in the same circumstances".

It comes as a similar case in Cornwall awaits a Supreme Court hearing.

'Like a triumph'

Peter and Hazelmary Bull, the Christian owners of a guesthouse in Marazion who also turned away a gay couple have won permission to appeal against their ruling.

In the latest case, the judge accepted Mrs Wilkinson was genuine about her Christian beliefs and had also stopped unmarried heterosexual couples from sharing a double bed.

Reacting to the ruling, Mrs Wilkinson said: "Naturally, my husband and I are disappointed to have lost the case and to have been ordered to pay £3,600 in damages for injury to feelings.

"We believe a person should be free to act upon their sincere beliefs about marriage under their own roof without living in fear of the law. Equality laws have gone too far when they start to intrude into a family home."

The Christian Institute had backed Mrs Wilkinson's case.

Mrs Wilkinson was granted permission to appeal against the ruling and said she would give it "serious consideration".

Mr Black said the ruling felt "like a triumph".

He said: "It's taken two and a half years to get this far so to get the judgement and be vindicated in it is a great feeling."

'Simply unacceptable'

He said the only drawback was that Mrs Wilkinson had leave to appeal and, because the case involving the Cornwall guesthouse was due to go to the Supreme Court in late 2013 or early 2014, their own case was unlikely to be heard until after that.

When asked about Mrs Wilkinson's religious beliefs, Mr Black said he was not trying to fight anyone's beliefs. He said: "Running a B&B is not a religion.

"If you are running a B&B you have to abide by the law so either change your job or carry on running a B&B and let gay couples stay."

When asked if the couple were willing to take the case as far as the European Court of Human Rights, Mr Morgan said: "If it is still quite common for this sort of discrimination to take place then I think it needs to be taken all the way to be stopped."

James Welch, from civil rights group Liberty which took up the men's case, said: "It is simply unacceptable for people running a business to refuse to provide a service because of someone's sexual orientation."

[bbfan1991]

OMG what a vile cretin Nick Griffin is, he has tweeted the address of the couple that won in court, inciting violence?

https://twitter.com/nickgriffinmep

[Niall]

Originally Posted by bbfan1991

"We believe a person should be free to act upon their sincere beliefs about marriage under their own roof without living in fear of the law. Equality laws have gone too far when they start to intrude into a family home."

Complete ass. I'm glad they lost the case.

And if Nick Griffin can be jettisoned into deep space then that would be great.

[Black Dagger]

I actually would love for him to be murdered in front of me.

Utter scum-bag.

[bbfan1991]

What a shame there are still some bigots around who discriminate people.

[King Gizzard]

He'll keep doing it as long as you lot give him attention

[MTVN]

He'll keep doing it anyway tbh, as long as he still has his supporters and remains in a position of some significance, better to challenge him than to ignore him imo

[Jack_]

Great news. And Nick Griffin's home is being posted on Twitter, I hope someone trashes it.

[joeysteele]

Under their own roof being the operative word, the part of the house these guys were to use was part and something they had opened up to the public as a business,it was not their own 'personal' roof.
Glad they lost this case anyway.

[thesheriff443]

Originally Posted by Jack_

Great news. And Nick Griffin's home is being posted on Twitter, I hope someone trashes it.

by doing that you just come down to his level.

[Black Dagger]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

by doing that you just come down to his level.

Meh, the fat ******* deserves anything he gets tbh.

[Kizzy]

He sure lives up to his name that guy, evil old beast!

[Mystic Mock]

Originally Posted by bbfan1991

OMG what a vile cretin Nick Griffin is, he has tweeted the address of the couple that won in court, inciting violence?

https://twitter.com/nickgriffinmep

His just a twat anyway, he makes Mitt Romney look sane in comparison.

And I agree with Mr Black on the fact that if your running a B&B you should expect all kinds of people to come.

[Mystic Mock]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

by doing that you just come down to his level.

Not really as his every kind of ist going, and his party have committed hate crimes in the past aswell and do you think he cared? no.

[Jack_]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

by doing that you just come down to his level.

Well maybe it's a tad silly to wish it upon him, but let's get one thing straight - if it did happen I wouldn't be overly distraught.

[Marcus.]

nasty man

[arista]

Blame their Church

[lostalex]

Have any gay couples been allowed to stay at that B&B since this ruling?