Gay discrimination case

A gay couple from Cambridgeshire who were refused a room at a B&B say it was right to make a stand against discrimination.

The bed and breakfast owner has lost her appeal against a ruling that she unlawfully discriminated against the gay couple when she refused to let them stay in a double room.

Susanne Wilkinson from Berkshire claims she couldn't let Michael Black and his partner John Morgan from Brampton share a room because it was against her religious beliefs.

Judges at the Court of Appeal dismissed Mrs Wilkinson's challenge but said she could appeal to the Supreme Court.

A B & B owner has lost her appeal against a ruling she unlawfully discriminated against a gay couple when she refused to let them stay in a double room.

Christian Susanne Wilkinson declined to let Michael Black, 64, and John Morgan, 59, have the room at the Swiss Bed and Breakfast in Cookham, Berkshire, in March 2010.

A judge at Reading County Court heard that the pair, from Brampton, near Huntingdon, in Cambridgeshire, who had made a reservation and paid a deposit, protested at their treatment but Mrs Wilkinson made it clear that it was against her religious convictions to allow two men to share a bed.

Today, Master of the Rolls Lord Dyson, Lady Justice Arden and Lord Justice McCombe, in the Court of Appeal in London, dismissed Mrs Wilkinson's challenge, but gave her permission to appeal to the Supreme Court.

The appeal, on October 9, will be heard at the same time as that of Peter and Hazelmary Bull, who refused to let Martyn Hall and Steven Preddy share a bedroom at their seaside guesthouse in Cornwall.

The Appeal Court has upheld a ruling that a gay couple from Cambridgeshire were unlawfully discriminated against, when a B&B owner wouldn't let them share a double bed.

Michael Black and John Morgan, from Brampton near Huntingdon, brought the case after the incident in Berkshire in 2010.

BNP Leader Nick Griffin was unrepentant over his attack on 'evil' equality laws.

The MEP said he was standing up for the UK's quiet Christian majority. He also denied that his tweets had been threatening, saying Mr Morgan and Mr Black had nothing to fear.

The gay couple from Cambridgeshire who were allegedly targeted on Twitter by BNP leader Nick Griffin have given their reaction.

Michael Black and John Morgan of Brampton, near Huntingdon, came under fire from the MEP after winning a landmark equality ruling.

Mr Black said: "I think it's a lot of empty bombast"

More on this story at ITV News.

Cambridgeshire Police are reportedly investigating complaints about comments reportedly made on Twitter by BNP leader Nick Griffin about a gay couple from Huntingdon.

The MEP is alleged to have published the address of Michael Black and John Morgan on the social networking site and called for a demonstration to be held outside their home after they won a legal battle against a B&B owner who refused to let them share a double room.

A Cambridgeshire Police spokeswoman said:

"We have received a number of calls in relations to the tweets and are looking into the complaints we have received.

"Officers will also visit the men mentioned in the tweets as part of our inquiries."

One of the tweets included a home address, she added.

A gay couple have been awarded damages by a County Court judge after a Christian couple refused them a double bed at a bed and breakfast guesthouse in Cookham, Berkshire.

A Judge at Reading County Court ruled that Michael Black and John Morgan f were discriminated against by owners of Swiss bed and breakfast and that their feelings were injured by being turned away from the guesthouse because they were homosexual.