A lawyer has implied that if a bakery is prosecuted for refusing to bake a ‘support gay marriage’ cake, Muslims could be forced to bake images of the Prophet Mohammed.

Last July, Ashers Baking Company – based in Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland – refused the request of a gay rights activist for a cake showing the message ‘Support Gay Marriage’ above an image of Sesame Street’s Bert and Ernie.

The bakery vowed to “make a stand” after it was found to have broken anti-discrimination laws, and the Equality Commission is now taking the company to court.

Aidan O’Neill QC – who is representing the bakery on behalf of the anti-gay rogjts Christian Institute – implied Muslim bakeries could be forced to bake pictures of the Prophet Mohammed into cakes if the case is successful.

He told the anti-gay rights group that if the bakery loses, there would be no defence for scenarios including “a Muslim printer refusing a contract requiring the printing of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed”.

It is unlikely that such a case could ever be a feasible reality under current anti-discrimination laws.

Colin Hart, director of the anti-gay rights Christian Institute, claimed: “This is a truly alarming case with far-reaching implications for freedom of speech. It’s wrong for the law to force people to say things they don’t believe.”

Previously, the Christian Institute claimed there aren’t enough gays in UK to justify giving them equal rights.