A CHRISTIAN preacher thrown off a university social work course after expressing views on Facebook opposing same-sex marriage has had his case heard at the London Court of appeal.

Felix Ngole, 40, of Aireton Road, Barnsley, claimed Sheffield University bosses unfairly threw him off a social work course after he posted ‘homosexuality is a sin’ on a Facebook page which was discussing Kim Davis, a county clerk from Kentucky in the US who was jailed for refusing to issue marriage licences after the introduction of same-sex unions in 2015.

Following the comment, he was kicked off his course and the decision was upheld by the university appeals committee but he won the right to mount a High Court challenge.

Judge Collins Rice, who analysed the case at a High Court trial in 2017, ruled the university had acted within the law and Felix lodged a judicial review against the ruling, which was heard last week in London.

Judicial reviews are court proceedings in which a judge reviews the lawfulness of a decision or action made by a public body and challenges the way in which a decision has been made, rather than the rights and wrongs of the conclusion reached.

His case will be analysed by three appeal judges and an outcome should be reached within the next few weeks.

Felix, who was born in Cameroon but has been in the UK since 2003, said he received thousands of messages of support from across the globe.

He said: “I decided to challenge the High Court because I think the initial ruling was very unfair. We all have the right to express our speech and I think it is important we are allowed this freedom. The more we allow people to chip away at our freedom, we are facing a slippery slope.

“The argument is not quantified because the university are denying me the right to express my opinion and if I am to express anything and it upsets someone and I am for example at home or in church is it right that I am reported?

“Anyone anywhere should be allowed to express themselves and if we can’t do that, surely that is scary and shows to me that there are no safeguards for you to speak your mind and there may as well be a total ban on speaking your mind. It’s an alarming thought.

“The university’s role is to educate. When I was initially taken off the course I asked instead what can I do or how best can I express myself without the same consequences but they were unwilling to listen.”

The results of the judicial review will be sent to the University and Felix’s solicitor and he hopes the news will be good.

He said: “The university will have the option to object to the result of the judicial review but I am confident it will be in my favour.”