In a landmark judgment, a court ruled that devout Christians Karen and Colin McArthur acted unlawfully in declining the cake order because of their religious beliefs.
The case was brought against the family-run Ashers Baking Company in Belfast after a complaint by Gareth Lee, a member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy group Queer Space.
He had asked the bakery for a cake iced with a picture of Sesame Street puppets Bert and Ernie and the slogan “Support Gay Marriage” to mark International Anti-Homophobia Day.
Mrs McArthur, who founded the bakery with her husband Colin, said she initially accepted the order to avoid a confrontation.
But as a born-again Christian she felt uncomfortable. After talking to her husband and son Daniel, she called Mr Lee and cancelled the order.
The Northern Ireland Equality Commission brought a case on behalf of Mr Lee, who claimed the refusal left him feeling “like a lesser person”.
District judge Isobel Brownlie said at Belfast County Court: “The defendants have unlawfully discriminated against the plaintiff on grounds of sexual discrimination. This is direct discrimination for which there can be no justification.”
The firm was ordered to pay damages of £500 plus court costs.
