Supreme court sitting in Belfast to hear Ashers 'gay cake' case appeal
Shop owners to challenge ruling today
Last updated 1st May 2018
Ashers owners - Daniel and Amy McArthur - were today challenging a ruling that their refusal to make a cake iced with the slogan 'Support Gay Marriage' was discriminatory.
In May 2014, gay activist Gareth Lee placed an order for the cake - which was cancelled two days later - with the company saying the order would contradict their religious beliefs.
Ashers were later found to have discriminated against Mr Lee and since then have challenged the ruling through every court available..
The two-day hearing will take place today in the Supreme Court which is sitting in Belfast rather than its normal home in London.
Ashers went to the Court of Appeal in Belfast in a bid to overturn a decision made initially by a County Court judge who decided it had broken political and sexual orientation discrimination laws.
The judge ruled against Ashers, run by the McArthur family, who are Christians, for refusing to fulfil an order to make a £36.50 cake with a slogan supporting same-sex marriage because it conflicted with their deeply-held religious beliefs.
The hearing will take place almost exactly four years after the bakery was approached, on May 9 2014, to make the cake bearing the slogan ‘Support Gay Marriage’, something which is contrary to their Christian beliefs and values.
Now, 1,453 days later, the highest court in the land will consider the matter.
The five Supreme Court judges will consider two main issues:
• Whether the Appellants directly discriminated against a customer, the Respondent, on the grounds of sexual orientation, contrary to the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (NI) 2006 ("the 2006 Regulations"), and religious and political belief, contrary to the Fair Employment and treatment (NI) Order 1998 (the "1998 Order"), by refusing to make a cake decorated with the words "Support Gay Marriage".
• Whether the relevant provisions of the 2006 Regulations and 1998 Order breached the Appellants’ rights under Article 9 and/or 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (“the Convention”), separately or together with Article 14 of the Convention