Plaintiff in ‘gay cake’ case to donate £500 compensation to charity
The plaintiff in a case today which saw a Christian bakery in Northern Ireland be found guilty of discrimination, has said he would donate his £500 compensation to charity.
The owners of Ashers Bakery in Belfast were today found guilty of unlawful discrimination based on sexual orientation and political or religious grounds.
Last July, Ashers Baking Company – based in Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland – refused the request of gay rights activist Gareth Lee for a cake showing the message ‘Support Gay Marriage’ above an image of Sesame Street’s Bert and Ernie.
Mr Lee declined to speak after the ruling, but his lawyer said he would be donating the money to charity, and that he is delighted with the result of the case.
The lawyer said: “It is difficult being a pathfinder in a discrimination case”.
He did not specify which charity the money would be donated to.
Paul Givan, a DUP member of the Northern Irish Assembly, spoke after the ruling to say that he thought there was huge disappointment in the judgement and that it was an assault on faith.
