Clerk asks to continue with gay marriage licence ban

The US clerk who was jailed after refusing to issue marriage licences to gay couples has asked an appeals court to let her continue her stand until a lawsuit against her is decided.

Rowan County, Kentucky, clerk Kim Davis, due back at work today after six days behind bars, has said her beliefs as an Apostolic Christian prevent her from issuing marriage licences to same-sex couples and her attorneys said the 49-year-old will not violate her conscience when she returns to work.

In her absence, deputy clerks have been issuing licences and have said they would continue to do so.