Guest house owners lose legal fight over damages for gay couple

Peter Bull, 74, and his wife Hazelmary, 69, had asked the Supreme Court to decide whether their decision to refuse to let Martyn Hall and his civil partner Steven Preddy stay in a double room constituted sex discrimination under equality legislation.

Five Supreme Court justices ruled against them yesterday after analysing the case at a hearing in London in October.

The couple, who run a guest house in Marazion, Cornwall, had previously lost fights in a County Court and the Court of Appeal.

In 2011 a judge at Bristol County Court concluded that the Bulls acted unlawfully and ordered them to pay a total of £3,600 damages.

In 2012 the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal by the Bulls following a hearing in London.

The couple had asked the Supreme Court to overrule the Court of Appeal.

The Bulls said they thought that any sex outside marriage was “a sin” – and denied discriminating against Mr Hall and Mr Preddy.

They said their decision was founded on a “religiously-informed judgment of conscience”.

Mr Hall and Mr Preddy said they were victims of discrimination.

Mrs Bull said after the ruling: “We are deeply disappointed and saddened by the outcome.”

Dismissing the appeal, Lady Hale, deputy president of the Supreme Court, said: “Sexual orientation is a core component of a person’s identity which requires fulfilment through relationships with others of the same orientation.”

She added: “Homosexuals can enjoy the same freedom and the same relationships as any others.”