A Scottish evangelist was cleared of all charges on 9 January after he was arrested on the streets of Irvine.
Gordon Larmour was charged with behaving in a ‘threatening or abusive manner aggravated by prejudice relating to sexual orientation’ and ‘assault’, after he answered questions from some young men in the street about the Christian view on homosexual practice.
Mr Larmour was found ‘not guilty’ after the Sheriff found the evidence against him unconvincing.
What the Bible teaches
Often visiting Irvine to offer Christian leaflets to people, Mr Larmour offered a leaflet to a group of young men who were passing through the town. He explained to one of the men how meeting God had turned his life around. Another of the men, who said he was a homosexual, asked Mr Larmour for God’s opinion of those who engage in homosexual practices. Mr Larmour told him what the Bible teaches.
Mr Larmour’s answers angered the man and he tried to hit Mr Larmour. The young men then began to chase Mr Larmour and shouted abusive comments at him.
Police officers were called to the scene and the young men told them that Mr Larmour had made ‘homophobic’ remarks. Mr Larmour was arrested, taken to a police station and held overnight.
