A Leeds mental health charity has been branded discriminatory after it pulled a job offer from a Christian social worker because of his traditional views on marriage and sexuality. An employment appeal tribunal has now slammed the charity, overturning an earlier ruling that had backed the employer.
Job Offer Withdrawn Over ‘Triggering’ Bible Quotes
Felix Ngole, 47, was set to join Touchstone, a Leeds-based mental health and NHS provider. But when Touchstone unearthed his past public statements supporting traditional Christian views on marriage and sexuality, it cancelled his job offer.
Touchstone claimed Ngole’s views could upset LGBTQI+ service users who might stumble across his beliefs online. Dave Pickard, their head of operations, argued that even quoting John 3:16 could be “triggering” for vulnerable clients. Stonewall, a well-known LGBT campaign group, backed these claims.
The original tribunal accepted Ngole faced discrimination but ruled the charity was justified in safeguarding user wellbeing and its own reputation. The appeal tribunal has now thrown out this excuse entirely, calling the discrimination “not capable of justification.”
‘No Excuse to Discriminate Against Christians’
“The ruling makes clear what should always have been obvious – there can be no excuse for discriminating Christians in the workplace because members of the public might discover their protected beliefs online.”
– Andrea Williams, Christian Legal Centre CEO
Ngole said he was glad the appeal tribunal recognised he should not lose a job over his mainstream Christian beliefs being visible online. He added: “I have supported vulnerable individuals from all backgrounds throughout my professional life, and I have never sought to impose my beliefs on anyone.”
Legal Battle Not Over Yet
Despite this major win, parts of Ngole’s case have been sent back to be reconsidered by the original tribunal after discovering further legal issues. Ngole intends to challenge some other aspects of Monday’s ruling, meaning the legal saga is far from finished.
This isn’t Ngole’s first courtroom victory. In 2019, he won a landmark free speech battle against the University of Sheffield after being expelled over Facebook posts defending biblical sexual ethics. The Court of Appeal ruled that expressing religious views on sin didn’t equal discrimination.
Touchstone reportedly withdrew his job offer after realising Ngole had won that earlier case, adding fuel to the controversy.
The Christian Legal Centre hailed Monday’s ruling as a “significant win for Christian freedom and free speech,” warning it could reshape how employers treat staff whose religious beliefs are online.
With parts of his claim still unresolved, and further appeals planned, look set for more courtroom drama to come.
