In January a cabinet minister and England’s highest judge together disciplined a Christian magistrate for saying that a child’s best interests lie in being raised by both a mother and a father, telling him that his Christian beliefs about the family must not influence his work whilst sitting on the Bench.
Richard Page, who has served as a Justice of the Peace in Kent for 15 years and is a well-respected member of the panel, expressed the view during a closed-door consultation with colleagues in an adoption case.
Having heard all the evidence in an adoption case, Richard decided that his legal duty to act in the best interests of the child meant that he couldn’t agree to placing the child with a same-sex couple.
Required equality training
Following an investigation by the local JP Advisory Panel the case was referred to the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice which resulted in a public reprimand and Richard being barred from sitting as a magistrate until he has received ‘equality training’ for his views.
Richard said he based his views on his faith and on his experience in the mental health service, not on prejudice or bigotry.
