'Gay cake' case: Ashers bakery to appeal discrimination decision

A judge said as a business, Ashers was not exempt from discrimination law.

The Christian-run bakery at the centre of a discrimination case over a so-called 'gay cake' has decided to appeal.

Ashers bakery was ordered to pay £500 for refusing to make a sponge cake with a pro-gay marriage slogan on it.

A Belfast court found that customer Gareth Lee had been discriminated against on the grounds of his sexual orientation.

He was backed in the case by the NI Equality Commission.

The commission paid almost £39,000 in legal fees.

In a statement, the McArthur family who run Ashers, said: "After much careful and prayerful consideration given to legal advice, we have decided to appeal the judgement handed down last Tuesday.

"We continue to insist that we have done nothing wrong as we have discriminated against no individual, but rather acted according to what the Bible teaches regarding marriage.

Last week a judge said that, as a business, Ashers was not exempt from discrimination law.

The firm was found to have discriminated against Mr Lee on the grounds of sexual orientation as well as his political beliefs.

The judge said she accepted that Ashers has "genuine and deeply held" religious views, but said the business was not above the law.