CORNWALL, UK, March 11, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The homosexual couple that sued the Christian owners of a UK Bed and Breakfast last year for refusing them a room, recently demanded more compensation for the supposed harms they suffered. After enormous public criticism, however, their lawyers announced today that the appeal was an “error of judgement” and dropped the case.
Peter and Hazelmary Bull, who run the Chymorvah Private Hotel from their home, were taken to court by Martyn Hall and his civil partner Steven Preddy. The pair had booked a room with the guesthouse as ‘Mr. and Mrs. Preddy’ but were turned away when they arrived and revealed they were a homosexual couple.
Following the December 2010 court ruling by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), the Bulls were fined £3,600, viewed as adequate compensation by the judges who took into account the Bulls’ strong Christian convictions regarding marriage.
Meanwhile, Preddy and Hall said the Bulls should have been fined more. Their EHRC lawyers, who are funded by taxpayer money, filed the complaint recently saying the Bulls Christian beliefs should be disregarded in the ruling.
Today, however, EHRC lawyer John Wadham said the cross appeal was an “error of judgment,” which they would withdraw. “This morning we withdrew our cross appeal in this case,” said Wadham, “It was filed initially because of an error of judgment on the part of our legal team.”
The lawyer claimed his clients never actually sought increased compensation. “Mr and Mrs Bull’s Christian beliefs had led them to break the law,” he said, and Preddy and Hall merely wanted the law clarified. But their demand, he said, “resulted in it appearing that Steve Preddy and Martyn Hall were seeking to increase the amount of damages.”
“We have always believed that the original award was a fair one, and are not seeking any further compensation,” assured the homosexual couple.
“We are pleased that the Commission has seen sense and withdrawn their demand for a stiffer penalty against Mr and Mrs Bull,” said spokesman Mike Judge of the Christian Institute, which has represented the Bulls and covered their legal costs, estimated at over £45,000.
“This U-turn,” said Judge, “has come only after negative publicity. The Commission’s approach to these equality cases has seriously damaged Christians’ confidence in the Commission as an impartial defender of everyone’s human rights. A great deal of damage has been done.”
“It is obviously a relief that we are not being pursued in the courts for more money,” said Mrs. Bull. Her husband has been very ill in the past months following heart surgery and the recent demands for further compensation came as another blow to the couple.
Mrs. Bull concluded, “But I can’t imagine this taxpayer-funded ‘error of judgment’ happening to anyone other than Christians.”