'˜Homosexuality is a sin' comment Yorkshire teacher challenges move to throw him off course

Felix Ngole, 39, of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, says he was lawfully expressing a traditional Christian view and has complained that bosses at Sheffield University unfairly stopped him completing a postgraduate degree.

Sheffield University bosses wanted Mr Ngole’s legal challenge blocked.

Lawyers for the university said the decision to remove him from the course had been fair and proportionate.

They said he was taking a “professionally qualifying degree” with the aim of becoming a social worker and argued that what he had said would affect gay people he might work with.

But a judge on Tuesday gave him the go-ahead to mount a judicial review challenge in the High Court.

Deputy High Court Judge James Lewis, who analysed Mr Ngole’s claim at a preliminary High Court hearing in London, said he had an arguable case.

Lawyers expect a trial to be staged later this year.

Mr Ngole, who works as a supply teacher and comes from Cameroon, said afterwards that the case had implications for others.

He is being backed by the Christian Legal Centre - which is part of the campaign group Christian Concern.

“The university’s treatment of Felix fundamentally violates its responsibilities under human rights legislation,” said Christian Legal Centre chief executive Andrea Williams.

“The university has failed to protect his freedom of speech ... and his freedom of religion.”

She added: “Felix has worked with people who identify as homosexual, treating them with respect and kindness. What he shared on his Facebook page simply reflects biblical teaching on sexual behaviour.

“Unless he wins this case he will be forever barred from social work. Felix is entitled to express his views, especially ones shared by millions of people around the world.

“There is no evidence that Felix’s views adversely impacted his work. Quite the contrary, he was a hard-working student who would be an asset to the profession.

“Sadly, this is yet another case of Christians being punished in the public arena, and of censorship of views.”

In 2015, Mr Ngole had been taking part in an “open debate” on a Facebook page about Kim Davis, a state official in the US state of Kentucky, who refused to register same-sex marriages.

He expressed the view that “the Bible and God identify homosexuality as a sin”, the judge was told.