As new instances emerge and are heard in court, the homosexuality debate continues. The conviction of a Christian preacher who constantly referred to a transgender woman as "man" and "gentleman" and was found guilty of harassing her has been reversed.
David McConnell, who made the remarks that left Farah Munir "emotionally disturbed" while preaching in Leeds in June 2021, was sentenced to 80 hours of unpaid work and 12-month community order in September 2022. But, Leeds Magistrates' Court overturned his conviction because there was no proof that he had planned to harass Munir.
Case of Christian Preacher Overturned in Court and Found that He was Not Guilty of Discrimination
David McConnell, a Christian preacher, has had his conviction overturned after being found guilty of harassing a transgender woman by referring to her as "man" and "gentleman." According to BBC, the court found that although McConnell's words were insulting and the woman had suffered "harassment, alarm and distress," there was no evidence that he had intended to cause harm.
Video footage from McConnell's body-worn camera showed the woman approaching him and asking if God accepts the LGBTQ+ community. McConnell responded by referring to her as "this gentleman" and stating that "homosexuality is an abomination in the eyes of God" and "lesbianism is an unnatural and vile passion.
Another source, a report in Daily Mail, says that in June 2021, a lettings agent and preacher named David McConnell was sentenced to do 80 hours of unpaid work for making offensive remarks about the LGBT community in public. The incident was captured on video and viewed in court. Farrah Munir approached Mr. McConnell, who asked whether God accepts the LGBT community.
PC Gareth Burns arrived at the scene and found an angry mob gathering around the preacher. He arrested McConnell partly for his own safety. In court, McConnell was cleared of any wrongdoing and said he was delighted to be removed. He added that he had been mistreated and that the incident should concern anyone who cares about Christian freedoms and free speech. Even though he was freed, Mr. McConnell did not criticize the court for bringing the prosecution on this occasion and emphasized that all the relevant problems needed to be respected appropriately.
Related Case of Arresting David McConnell in West Yorkshire saying that They Violated his Freedom of Speech
In a related case shared here in Christianity Daily, David McConnell has won a legal claim against the West Yorkshire Police (WYPOL) for wrongful arrest and was awarded legal costs and damages. The preacher was arrested while sharing the Gospel in the street and was accused of hate speech regarding "preaching on gay rights and abortion."
He was arrested without being told the reason and was only informed of it when he arrived at the police station. However, after listening to the recording of his sermon, the officer found no violations. McConnell was held for nearly six hours but was released without charges.
Related Article: British Preacher Who Was Arrested While Preaching Gospel Wins Lawsuit Against Police, Gets Awarded $4,500
