John Reaney wins case against Church of England
Publication date: 18 July 2007
John Reaney wins his claim of unlawful sexual orientation discrimination against the Church of England.
Former Christian youth officer John Reaney has succeeded in his claim that in failing to appoint him to the Diocese Youth Officer post last year the Bishop of Hereford and the Hereford Diocese discriminated against him as a gay man. The Church fought the case to a full hearing in Cardiff earlier this year.
His solicitor Alison Downie, partner at Bindman & Partners said:
“My client is pleased that he has won his claim. The Bishop and the Diocese were wrong and unlawfully discriminated against him because he is a gay man in refusing to appoint an excellent candidate to the post of Youth Officer. In this landmark test case the Tribunal found not only that he suffered direct discrimination but that if necessary they would have found indirect discrimination in the Diocese imposing a requirement of celibacy for lay people in employment within the Church. It is highly regrettable that the Bishop acted as he did and that my client lost a year of his life in bringing this claim to right the wrong done to him”.
John Reaney said:
“I am pleased that the Tribunal agree that I have suffered discrimination and that I was right to bring my claim. I thank them for their decision. As a committed Christian I did not bring this claim lightly and remain sad that the Bishop acted in this way. All I ever wanted to do was to continue to use my skills in youth work for the Diocese and the Church. I felt I was treated differently because I was gay and that isn’t right and should not happen. I’m glad the law now gives protection against such discrimination. I would like to thank my solicitor Alison Downie of Bindman & Partners and my barrister Sandyha Drew for all their work on my behalf in redressing this injustice. It would not have been possible for me to do so without the support of Ben Summerskill and Alan Wardle and all at Stonewall, I am very grateful to them for their help.”
Press coverage
- Bishop urged to resign after diocese loses gay bias case (The Guardian, 19th July 2007)
- Youth worker wins gay job rights claim against bishop (The Times, 19th July 2007)
- Bishop discriminated against gay youth worker (Daily Telegraph, 19th July 2007)
- Church loses gay employment case (The Independent, 19th July 2007)
- Campaigners hail gay rights ruling (Morning Star, 19th July 2007)
- Gay man wins Church tribunal claim (Daily Express, 19th July 2007)
- Bishop must compensate gay man he 'humiliated' at interview (Daily Mail, 19th July 2007)
- Gay man in church work win (Daily Mirror, 19th July 2007)
- Church's gay rap (The Sun, 19th July 2007)
- Gay Christian wins sex bias fight with Bishop (The Metro, 18th July 2007)
- Bishop loses gay employment case (BBC News, 18th July 2007)
