Blasphemy Conviction Upheld By Lords (Press, 23 February 1979)
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Summary: Blasphemy Conviction Upheld By Lords (Press, 23 February 1979)
On 23 February 1979, the British House of Lords confirmed the blasphemous libel convictions against the homosexual magazine "Gay News" and its editor, Denis Lemon, due to the publication of a poem that depicted a Roman centurion's homosexual love for Christ. The controversial case originated in July 1977 when a jury found both Lemon and the magazine guilty of blasphemy for the poem and an accompanying illustration. This marked the first instance of blasphemous libel prosecuted in Britain in 56 years. Following the initial ruling, an Appeal Court upheld the convictions in March 1978 but decided to set aside Lemon's suspended nine-month jail sentence. Instead, Lemon was fined £500 (equivalent to $946), while "Gay News" was imposed with a fine of £1,000 (approximately $1,893). The House of Lords, being the highest court in the land, ultimately upheld the appeals court's decision, reaffirming the earlier convictions and penalties.
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