Gay Christian wins job tribunal against Church of England

The landmark case leaves the Church of England facing a record bill for damages.

A tribunal heard that John Reaney was turned down for a youth worker's post after the Bishop of Hereford quizzed him for two hours about a previous gay relationship.

The 42-year-old said the "humiliating" interview with the Right Rev Anthony Priddis left him in tears.

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The panel ruled that the Hereford Diocesan Board of Finance, representing the bishop, had unlawfully blocked the lay appointment on the grounds of sexuality.

The case has implications for other religious groups because it was the first test of their legal duty under anti-discrimination laws brought in in 2003.

Equality rules bar bias against workers on grounds of sexual orientation.

Religious groups were given an exemption to allow them to turn down gay candidates for clerical posts and traditionalists argue the exemption should apply to lay appointments too.

Mr Reaney, from Colwyn Bay, North Wales, hailed the ruling as a significant victory in equality for gay and lesbian Christians.

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He said: "I'm delighted that the Bishop of Hereford has lost this case.

"It demonstrates to many lesbian and gay Christians working for God within the Church of England that they are entitled to fair and respectful treatment."

A hearing has yet to be arranged to set his compensation. There is no upper limit on payouts.

Mr Reaney told the Cardiff employment tribunal in April that he had said he was gay on his application form.

He was unanimously approved for the £25,000-a-year job last summer by an eight- man panel which included two vicars, a National Youth adviser to the Church of England and the chairman of the diocesan education board.

But Bishop Priddis, a 59-year-old father of three, called him in for a discussion in which Mr Reaney said he was asked a number of intrusive questions about a previous five-year homosexual relationship.

Describing the encounter as "embarrassing" and "humiliating", he told the panel he broke down in tears on his way home.

Two days later, Bishop Priddis telephoned Mr Reaney to say his application had not been successful.

The Anglican leader denies discrimination, claiming he vetoed the appointment because Mr Reaney was having sex outside marriage.

He said he was simply complying with the teachings of the Church and feared Mr Reaney's lifestyle could impact on the "spiritual, moral and ethical leadership within the diocese".

The bishop said he would consider appealing, adding: "I am naturally disappointed that the tribunal decided that I did discriminate against Mr Reaney.

"I still think that the decision I made was the right one. The tribunal accepted that I did not 'interrogate' Mr Reaney and that I had acted in accordance with the teachings of the Church of England.

"It also recognised that the post of diocesan youth officer falls within the small number of posts outside of the clergy which are within the religious exemptions of the Sexual Discrimination Act."

But Ben Summerskill, of Stonewall, a gay lobby group that backed Mr Reaney, said: "This outcome is a triumph for 21st century decency over 19th century prejudice.

"The tribunal has rightly made clear that the Church of England cannot discriminate against gay people with impunity.

"No one, not even a bishop, is exempt from the law."

Terry Sanderson, of the National Secular Society, said: "'The Bishop of Hereford should hang his head in shame.

"His church must learn that denying people jobs on the ground of their sexuality is no longer acceptable."