A small victory.
District Judge Richard Clancy ruled that Benjamin and Sharon Vogelenzang’s were covered by their right to freedom of expression under the European Human Rights Act after they were alleged to have compared the prophet Mohammed to Hitler and called the guest, Ericka Tazi, a terrorist.
They were said to have picked on Mrs Tazi, a 60-year-old recent Muslim convert, after she had come down for breakfast wearing a hijab and full length Islamic dress. But the court heard Mrs Tazi hit back, saying: “I’ve tried Jesus, it didn’t work for me but the Bible is untrue anyway and Jesus is a minor prophet”.
In clearing them of causing religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress, Judge Clancy said that religion and politics was the “tinderbox which set the whole thing alight and it would appear because of strongly entrenched positions that is what has happened here”.
The Vogelenzangs, who are born again Christians and have five adopted children and fostered a Muslim boy, said that the incident had devastated the business they had spent 10 years building up. Takings were down by 80 per cent at The Bounty House Hotel in Aintree since they were charged, she said.
Outside, Mrs Vogelenzang, 54, said: “We’ve been found innocent of any crime. It has been a very difficult nine months and we are looking forward to rebuilding our business and getting on with our lives.
“We would like to thank all those who have supported us, our family, our friends, our church and Christians all around the world, and non-Christians.
“And as Christmas approaches we wish everybody peace and goodwill.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/6771707/Hoteliers-cleared-of-abusing-Muslim-guest.html