Anti-LGBT monk Damon Jonah Kelly

PinkNews Exclusive

A monk who was earlier this week arrested for distributing leaflets across Cambridge claiming that gay people are “corrupting young children”, is the director of a Catholic charity which spends tens of thousands of pounds each year.

53-year-old Damon Jonah Kelly from Corby, Northamptonshire was arrested on 8 December on suspicion of a Section 5 public order offence.

He was bailed until 20 January, at which point he will return to Huntington Police Station in Cambridge.

PinkNews has discovered that Kelly, who is actually a monk, is the director of the Scotland based charity the Black Hermits.

The objectives of the charity read: “The advancement of religion and promotion of Christianity and to promote Roman Catholic religion. In furtherance thereof but not otherwise the Company shall seek: (a) To establish a Roman Catholic monastic centre on the Island of Mull, and in other locations within Scotland, which will offer solace to persons of all denominations or none. (b) To provide a place of prayer, welcome and evangelisation. (c) To aid the furtherance of religion by such charitable means as the company shall determine from time to time.”

The charity’s income and expenditure varies slightly year-on-year. On average the charity receives between £25,000 and £35,000 in donations each year, and spends between £45,000 and £57,000.

This changed in 2011, however as the Black Hermits spent £332,664 despite receiving £35,080.

Between 2010 and 2012 the charity filed its annual return late.

It is unclear whether charitable funds were used to make the leaflets.

Leaflets distributed in the city in October claimed that AIDS is God’s punishment for gays, homosexuality is linked to paedophilia, and that transgender people should be exorcised.

However, Cambridge Police previously declined to take action to stop the anti-gay leaflets – stating they are covered by freedom of speech laws and are not a crime.

A separate arrest was made in Brighton in connection with the distribution of homophobic leaflets last month.

Yesterday afternoon, PinkNews received a hand-written letter from a man identifying himself as ‘Brother Damon Jonah Kelly’, who claimed responsibility for delivering the leaflets in nine locations across the UK.

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