Atheist handed Asbo over offensive leaflets

AN atheist who left leaflets mocking Jesus Christ, Islam and the Pope in an international airport’s prayer room was yesterday hit with an Asbo.

Harry Taylor, 59, dumped homemade posters at Liverpool John Lennon Airport three times in November and December 2008.

The self-styled philosopher denied three counts of causing religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress but was convicted in less than an hour by a unanimous jury.

Among the posters, one image showed a smiling crucified Christ next to an advert for a brand of “no nails” glue.

In another, a cartoon depicted two Muslims holding a placard demanding equality with the caption: “Not for women or gays, obviously.”

Islamic suicide bombers at the gates of paradise were told in another: “Stop, stop, we’ve run out of virgins.”

Taylor, of Griffin Street, Higher Broughton, Salford, told Liverpool Crown Court during his trial he was sexually abused by Catholic priests as a youngster. But he said he bore no grudge against people of faith and claimed he was merely trying to convert believers to atheism.

Unemployed Taylor, on medication for depression, said it was “preposterous” to suggest people could be incited to violence by cartoons — another depicted the Pope with a condom on his finger.

He had adapted newspaper and magazine cartoons and added his own captions.

But some of his cartoons went way beyond exercising freedom of expression, prosecutor Neville Biddle said.

One image showed a pig excreting sausages with insults to Islam, and others linked Muslims to attacks on airports.

He told the jury he left the posters in tribute to John Lennon, whose acclaimed Imagine referenced “a world with no religion”.

When Judge Charles James told Taylor’s barrister Brigid Baillie he was considering making him pay costs, the defendant began wheezing dramatically.

As Baillie told the judge Taylor received Jobseekers’ Allowance of £187 (€214) per fortnight, her client began sighing and huffing loudly before clasping his hands to his head.

Court adjourned for 10 minutes for a first-aider to be called.

He returned soon after and was able to stand alert for the judge’s summing up.

Taylor’s Anti-Social Behaviour Order bans him from carrying religiously offensive material in a public place.

He was sentenced to six months in jail suspended for two years, ordered to perform 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £250 costs.