John Lennon Airport sexual image atheist gets Asbo

A "militant atheist" who left explicit images in a prayer room at Liverpool John Lennon Airport has been given a six-month suspended sentence. Harry Taylor, 59, of Salford, left images of religious figures in sexual poses on three occasions in 2008. Jurors found him guilty of causing religiously aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress in March. He was also given a five-year Anti-social Behaviour Order (Asbo) at Liverpool Crown Court.

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, in Higher Broughton, told jurors 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. Some of his cartoons went far 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. The chaplain at the airport was "severely distressed" by the discoveries, the court heard. Taylor's Asbo bans him from carrying religiously offensive material in a public place. He was convicted of similar offences in 2006.