Police investigate Nick Griffin over tweet

The MEP is alleged to have published the address of Michael Black and John Morgan on the social networking site and called for a demonstration to be held outside their home.

Cambridgeshire police said it is investigating the incident and Dyfed-Powys police said it was liaising with the force.

The tweets, under the username @nickgriffinmep, followed Mr Black, 64, and his 59-year-old partner Mr Morgan’s win against the owner of bed and breakfast accommodation who refused to let them stay in a double room because of her religious views.

Mr Black spoke of his reaction to the tweets, saying: “We were shocked to hear about it and the more we read about it the more incoherent they seemed.

“So we don’t really know what Nick Griffin is getting at. He accuses us of being heterophobic, which is far from the truth, and he has accused us of trying to outlaw Christianity, which is not true either.

“The finding of discrimination protects Christians from being discriminated against as well as people who are gay or different races or different religions.”

Reacting to the alleged encouragement of people to protest outside their home, Mr Morgan said they had not been there “but the local police are keeping their eye on the property”.

‘No to heterophobia’

The couple, from Brampton, near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, sought damages from Susanne Wilkinson after she would not let them have the room at the Swiss Bed and Breakfast in Cookham, Berkshire, in March 2010 despite them having made a reservation and paid a deposit.

One of the complained tweets read: “So Messrs Black & Morgan, at (their address). A British Justice team will come up to Huntington & give you a…
“…bit of drama by way of reminding you that an English couple’s home is their castle. Say No to heterophobia!”

Twitter users trying to access the account were subsequently told it had been suspended. The Cambridgeshire Police spokeswoman said: “We have received a number of calls in relations to the tweets and are looking into the complaints we have received.

“Officers will also visit the men mentioned in the tweets as part of our inquiries.”

Convictions

One of the tweets included a home address, the police spokeswoman confirmed. The case at Reading county court concluded the couple had suffered unlawful discrimination.

At the time, Mr Black, an exams consultant and writer, protested at their treatment but the owner refused to allow them to stay as it was “against her convictions”.

Mrs Wilkinson, a married mother-of-four, considered that providing a double bed to the couple, who are not in a civil partnership, would involve her in promoting what she believed to be a sin, namely sexual relations outside heterosexual marriage, the court heard.

Recorder Claire Moulder found that Mr Black and Mr Morgan, a computer consultant, had been the victims of direct discrimination.