A prison worker who claims he was forced to resign after quoting verses from the Bible during a service will have his case heard at an employment tribunal this week.
Ordained Pentecostal Christian minister, the Rev Barry Trayhorn, will tell Bedford Employment Tribunal that he suffered an “unfair and aggressive disciplinary process” that provoked his resignation from the prison in November 2014.
The Rev Trayhorn, who was employed to carry out gardening duties at HMP Littlehey and volunteered in the prison chapel, said he felt compelled to resign when prison officials “bombarded” him with allegations of bad behaviour, after a complaint was made about Bible verses he quoted at a service.
Mr Trayhorn was later told that his comments during the service were considered “homophobic” and breached national prison policy. He was notified that there would be an internal disciplinary hearing and he later resigned.
The hearing, which begins today (Monday) is expected to last until November 10.
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