Felix Ngole was thrown of the course for calling homosexuality a sin (Picture: PA/ Getty)

A devout Christian thrown off a university social work course for writing derogatory comments about homosexuals and bisexuals has won his appeal.

Felix Ngole, 40, posted that homosexuality and gay marriage were both ‘sins’ during a long debate on Facebook in 2015.

Sheffield University bosses then stopped him from completing his postgraduate degree, arguing they had to consider his fitness to practise as he was studying for a professional qualification.

Judge Rowena Collins Rice ruled that the university acted within the law during a High Court trial in London in 2017, but now three appeal judges have overturned the decision.


Mr Ngole claims he was expressing a traditional Christian view and complained the university was unfairly stopping him from completing a postgraduate degree.

A judge previously found that the university had acted lawfully (Picture: PA)

Mr Ngole said his rights to freedom of speech and thought, enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights, were breached when he was thrown off the course.



But the university bosses said he showed ‘no insight’ and the decision to remove him from the course was fair.

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Judge Rice said freedom of religious discourse is a public good of great importance, but social workers have considerable power over the lives of vulnerable people and trust is a precious professional commodity.

But after a Court of Appeal hearing in March, Lord Justice Irwin, Lord Justice Haddon-Cave and Sir Jack Beatson ruled in his favour on Wednesday.

They said the university should reconsider his case.

His case could now be reexamined by the university (Picture: Getty Images)

Mr Ngole said after the appeal court ruling: ‘This is great news, not only for me and my family, but for everyone who cares about freedom of speech, especially for those working in or studying for caring professions.

‘As Christians we are called to serve others and to care for everyone, yet publicly and privately we must also be free to express our beliefs and what the Bible says without fear of losing our livelihoods.’

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