God-fearing policeman sacked over emails about sinful homosexuality

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A Christian policeman who circulated emails at work suggesting homosexuality was sinful has been sacked for misconduct.

Constable Graham Cogman, who had previously threatened to take Norfolk Police to an employment tribunal, claims the force has been “bombarded” by posters advertising gay events.

“The blatant support for homosexual rights in Norfolk Police makes being a Christian officer extremely difficult,” he told the Mail on Sunday in July.

The complaints against PC Cogman stem back to 1995 when a gay colleague sent emails round to staff encouraging them to support Gay History Month by wearing a pink ribbon.

In response to this the Constable circulated emails quoting the Bible, suggesting homosexual sex was sinful.

He was sent to a disciplinary tribunal who fined him 13 days pay and barred him from using the internal messaging system.

Despite the ban, PC Cogman posted a link to an American Christian helpline.

When he was interviewed by bosses about it he said he had posted the link as he was trying to help people struggling with their sexuality.

The link was to Christian helpline that PC Cogman said had helped a friend who was struggling with their sexuality.

In response to this Norfolk Police felt it appropriate to take PC Cogman to a disciplinary hearing, which was held yesterday.

He was found guilty of of failing to comply with a lawful order over the use of police computers and failing to treat a colleague with politeness and tolerance.

The hearing followed an investigation led by the force’s professional standards department and supervised by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

“This officer’s behaviour fell well below what we expect of our people,” Deputy Chief Constable Ian Learmonth told the Norwich Evening News.

“The outcome follows a thorough investigation with evidence presented to a misconduct panel of three, two of whom were independent of the constabulary.”

PC Cogman’s stance echoes Lillian Ladele’s, the evangelical Christian registrar who recently won a case against Islington council.

Ms Ladele claimed she was bullied after she refused to conduct civil partnership’s for same-sex couples.

Islington council is appealing against the ruling.

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