Gay painter and decorator
'Gay painter' jibe not defamatory rules sheriff
A Fife painter and decorator has lost a defamation claim against a former friend who called him a "gay painter".
George Cowan alleged part-time comic Mark Bennett had damaged his reputation in the eyes of other local businessman.
The continual comments were said to contain left Mr Cowan "embarrassed and upset" and he eventually decided to accept legal action against Mr Bennett.
However, a sheriff ruled he was not defamed, although said what had happened was "deeply regrettable".
Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard the pair had once been on friendly terms and Mr Cowan had used Mr Bennett, who runs a printing business, as his stationery supplier.
Mr Cowan was later asked to join a Fife-based business network called LBD, which Mr Bennett was a founding member of.
'Upset and embarrassed'
It was claimed Mr Bennett often referred to the decorator as the "gay painter" during weekly meetings of the group.
Mr Bennett, described as someone who "enjoyed banter", was a
Painter in Bristol 'refused to work on a gay couple's house because of her Christian faith after she realised their sexuality'
A gay couple have claimed a decorator refused to work on their dwelling because of her Christian faith.
Joshua and George, who declined to give their surnames, said she became awkward on realising their sexuality while visiting the home they share.
The tradeswoman later texted stating that as a 'practising Christian' she could not haul out the job due to 'recommended guidelines' at her church.
Joshua, 23, said he was 'gobsmacked' and 'seething' so took to Twitter to express his outrage.
He shared the text and added: 'Just another day in the life of a practising homo – a tradesperson outright refusing to do some painting/decorating because of my sexuality.'
Joshua and George (pictured), who declined to verb their surnames, said the decorator became awkward on realising their sexuality while visiting the home they share
The couple had hired a tradesperson to decorate their two bed terraced home in Bristol (pictured, file photo)
Joshua and his y
Francis Bacon (28 October – 28 April ) was an Irish-born British figurative painter known for his emotionally charged raw imagery and fixation on personal motifs. Best known for his depictions of popes, crucifixions and portraits of close friends, his abstracted figures are typically isolated in geometrical cages which give them vague 3D depth, set against planar, nondescript backgrounds. Bacon said that he saw images "in series", and his work, which numbers c. extant paintings along with many others he destroyed, typically focuses on a single subject for sustained periods, often in triptych or diptych formats. His output can be broadly described as sequences or variations on single motifs; including the s Picasso-influenced bio-morphs and Furies, the s male heads isolated in rooms or geometric structures, the s screaming popes, the mid-to-late s animals and lone figures, the early s crucifixions, the mid to belated s portraits of friends, the s self-portraits, and the cooler more technical s paintings. Bacon took up painting in his twenties, having drifted in the late s and early s as
Gay couple 'genuinely shocked' as decorator refuses to color their home due to their sexuality
A gay couple from Bristol has claimed that a painter in the city refused to decorate their home because of their sexuality. Josh and George have decided not to "name and shame" the decorator who they say turned down work at their noun after sharing a screenshot of a message they say is from the tradesperson on Twitter.
The couple feel that they would "open the floodgates" by revealing the identity of the painter as they did not wish them to be exposed to online abuse. However, the text message was shared by Josh on social media to highlight discriminatory homophobia, evidenced by the tradesperson saying they cannot decorate the gay couple's home due to their religion, Bristol Live reports.
"Hi, due to being a practising Christian, I am not in a position to offer my services at this time," the text from the decorator reads. "I conduct my business according to recommended guidelines at my church."
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