UNITED KINGDOM - A Christian housing charity today denied any involvement with a hostel worker suspended for expressing anti-gay views.
David Booker, 44, was chatting about his faith with co-worker Fiona Vardy during a late shift at the hostel in Southampton, Hants on March 26.
He told her he was opposed to same-sex marriages and to homosexual clergy but denied being homophobic and said he had homosexual friends.
The next evening, Mr Booker was suspended from his £19,000-a-year post as a hostel support worker with Society of St James where he has worked for the past four years.
Charity English Churches Housing Group (ECHG) used to run the hostel but transferred the support services to the Society of St James in February 2008 and sold the building to Saxon Weald housing association in January 2009.
The charity has been inundated with calls from angry Christians and Derek Caren, ECHG managing director, said: "We have had no involvement with the project or any disciplinary action against any Society of St James staff as it is simply not our business any longer.
"We successfully managed the Southampton Street project for many years but no longer retain an interest and strongly refute any connection with this unfortunate incident.
"I'm dismayed the good name of this organisation has been unfairly tarnished as a result of a mistake."
On March 30, Mr Booker received a formal suspension notice which alleged he "seriously breached" the code of conduct "by promoting your religious views which contained discriminatory comments regarding a person's sexual orientation...
"The action has been taken to safeguard both residents and staff" at the Southampton Street hostel.
Mr Booker, 44, a born-again Christian from Southampton, turned to the Christian Legal Centre (CLC) which instructed human rights lawyer Paul Diamond to represent him.
Trevor Pickup, chief executive of Society of St James, said: "The Society would like to make it clear that it only suspends people when allegations against them are very serious.
"We cannot say more at this point because we have a duty to ensure that Mr Booker is treated fairly.
"If the investigation finds that he has a case to answer then the evidence will be presented to him and he will have the opportunity to defend himself at a hearing where he has the right to representation by a trade union representative or work colleague."
The charity has 170 staff and works with more than 300 homeless people in Southampton.
The Society said it was not a Christian organisation and Mr Pickup added: "We are, however, committed to being fair to all our staff, from whatever background or faith."
from 24 Dash
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