Benjamin Cohen founded PinkNews.co.uk in 2005 and was editor until 2006. He was technology correspondent at Channel 4 News between 2006 and 2012.
Twitter: @benjamincohen-
13 December 2005Transsexual killer convicted of attempted rape has sentence reduced 6 A transsexual who was convicted of attempting to rape a shop assistant just days after being released from prison for killing her lover, has had her sentence reduced by the Court of Appeal.Karen Lawson, aged 24, was known as Mark Jones prior to a sex change operation pleaded guilty to attempted rape in Bolton Crown Court in July of 2003. -
12 December 2005Diana fancied gay pop star George Michael- singer claims + The late Princess Diana was obsessed with gay pop star George Michael according to claims make this week by the singer.The pop star has alleged that the Princess of Wales was "very attracted to him" and that they nearly got into a physical relationship.Mr Michael said: "there were certain things that happened that made it clear she was very attracted to me. There was no question." -
8 December 2005Gay Conservative appointed Shadow Trade Industry Secretary + The Conservatives' first openly gay MP has been appointed the Shadow Secretary of State for Trade Industry and shadow cabinet member responsibility for equality.Alan Duncan, the 48 year old MP for Rutland Melton was handed the Trade Industry portfolio following the reshuffle carried out afterDavid Cameron's election as leader of the Conservative Party and Her Majesty's Opposition. -
8 December 2005AIDs campaigner found dead after abduction in Jamaica 1 A Jamaican AIDs activist was abducted and murdered by gunmen on theeve on Worlds Aids Day, it emerged this week.Police in the Caribbean Island confirmed that least four assailantsforced their way into home of Steve Harvey (30) when he returned fromwork around 1 a.m. They tied up him and two people staying with him,before stealing a number of their possessions, and then abducting the activist in his company car.
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7 December 2005First man to hold a gay marriage in Britain dies 1 A terminally ill cancer sufferer who was given permission to wed his partner in a gay wedding ceremony on Monday has died.Matthew Roche, 46, died on Tuesday 6th December at St Barnabas Hospice in Worthing, West Sussex, just a day his and his partner, Christopher Cramp held their partnership ceremony in the hospice.The Civil Partnership Act normally requires a 15-day waiting period between the application for a partnership and the ceremony. -
6 December 2005Green Party calls for more awareness of gay benefits changes + The Green Party today urged for greater awareness of the changes in the benefits system that the Civil Partnerships Act has brought in.Following yesterday's introduction of the Civil Partnership Act, most cohabiting same-sex couples that claim state benefits will experience a reduction in the amount of money they receive. -
6 December 2005Robbie Williams receives damages over claims he is secretly gay 8 Pop star, Robbie Williams has accepted substantial libel damages from the publishers of the People Newspaper and the publishers of the Daily Star over claims that he is secretly gay.The claims that we made in the People newspaper, Star and Hot Stars Magazine in 2004 claimed that the former Take That star had engaged in casual gay sex.Mr William's barrister, Tom Shields QC, told the court that the singer "is not, and has never been, homosexual." -
5 December 2005British couples get ready to hold gay wedding ceremonies + Couples the length and breadth of Britain today made the first steps to cementing their relationships under the Civil Partnerships Act.The Civil Partnership Act, which came into force today, will allow gay couples to register their relationship in a civil ceremony and receive the vast majority of the rights that straight married couples receive. However, unlike a wedding, churches and other places of worship can refuse to allow their members to hold a ceremony on their property.
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4 December 2005Britain’s gay marriage scheme is “sexual apartheid” say human rights group 5 Gay rights group OutRage! said today that the Civil Partnerships Scheme is "welcome, but flawed". The group called for same-sex marriages.The Civil Partnership Act that comes into force on December 5th 2005, will allow gay weddings in all but name. However, OutRage!, led by human rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell said that Britain operates a "sexual apartheid" system of marriage.
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30 November 2005ASBO teen jailed for homophobic attack + A teenager has been jailed for six years after being found guilty for his part in a homophobic attack on a man in Cheltenham.Steven Aubrey, 18, of Crabtree Place, Cheltenham, was 17 when he dragged Ian Mason, 33, out of his car and subjected him to a series of punches and kicks.The attack took place in a venue known by the police to be linked to gay cruising.
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30 November 2005Gay Soap star attacked by homophobic gang 1 Soap star Anthony Cotton was rescued by minders on Thursday after he was allegedly attacked by a homophobic gang.The Daily Mirror claims that Mr Cotton, who plays gay factory worker and barman Sean Tully in Coronation Street, was surrounded by a gang of eight teens outside the set of the hit soap.A witness described the attack in the Daily Mirror: "These lads looked like serious trouble. They homed in on poor Anthony for whatever reason. They were like a pack of animals. -
30 November 2005George Michael reveals his plans for a gay wedding 4 Former Wham! Front man, George Michael has made public his plans to marry long term partner Kenny Goss when gay weddings become legal in Britain.The popstar who has been in a ten year relationship with Mr Goss said that they plan to register their partnership shortly after the Civil Partnership Act comes into force in England and Wales with a ceremony due in the early part of 2006.
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25 November 2005Social worker suspended over gay porn accusations + The head of a Scottish council's social work team faces the sack after gay porn was allegedly found on his work laptop computer.Jim Hadderty was immediately suspended after technicians said that they found pornographic material on his machine whilst carrying out repairs.Mr Hadderty was relieved of his duties as manager of a divisional social work department at Renfrewshire Council. -
25 November 2005Liberal Judaism launches gay marriage ceremonies in Britain + Liberal Judaism is to be come the first mainstream religious group to perform gay marriage services.The movement, which includes four lesbian Rabbis, and two gay Rabbis will introduce its 'Covenant of Love' to coincide with the Civil Partnership Act which comes into force on December 5th.However, the ceremony does not replace the need for a couple to perform a civil partnership, as there are no legal entitlements flowing from the blessing. -
25 November 2005“Happy Slapping” girl asked gay murder victim to “pose for the camera”, court told 2 A teenage girl asked a gay barman to "pose for the camera" before she filmed her friends kicking him to death, a court heart.The trial relates to the murder of David Morley, 37, a survivor of the 1999 Soho nail bomb attack, who was chatting with a friend, Alistair Whiteside, on the South Bank, when a gang pounced.
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24 November 2005Gays can become Catholic priests if they can prove they’re celibate 12 Gay men will be allowed to be Roman Catholic priests as long as they can prove that they have been celibate for a minimum of three years.The Vatican which was commissioned by the Pope, Benedict XIV, says that the church will ban gays who "publicly manifest their homosexuality or show an overwhelming attraction" to homosexual culture even if it is only intellectually". -
24 November 200520,000 British people may have HIV without knowing it + A third of people who have HIV in the UK remain undiagnosed, a report by the Health Protection Agency has found.Despite over seven thousand new cases being diagnosed in the UK over 2005, almost twenty thousand people with the disease do not know that they are infected.Deborah Jack, the Chief Executive of the National AIDS trust says the results should be a wake up call to gay men to get tested. -
23 November 2005Conservative Equality Spokeswoman slammed over gay rights 1 Britain's only openly lesbian MP has condemned the Conservative Party for trying to allow small hotels and bbs (bed and breakfasts) to ban gay couples.The Equality Bill, which is currently having its second reading in the House of Commons, will ban the discrimination of people in the provision of goods and services due to their religion or their sexuality. -
22 November 2005Lisburn set for u-turn over gay weddings ban + Lisburn City Council is due to make a u-turn over the banning of gay wedding ceremonies on council properties.The council, in Northern Ireland has previously announced that it would not allow civil partnership ceremonies to take place in their wedding suite.Local authorities are forced to offer civil partnership registrations under the Civil Partnership Act that comes into effect in December of this year. However, they are free to decide whether to offer facilities for ceremonies on their properties. -
21 November 2005Serial killer Rose West in lesbian relationship + The Sunday Mirror claims that serial killer Rose West has embarked on a lesbian affair with a fellow prisoner.West, 51 met Chantelle Easton, 39, who is serving a sentence for robbery at Bronzefield prison in Ashford.They are both being held in the prison's segregation unit. West is kept there for her own safety, whilst Easton was transferred there after being abusive to an officer.
