Christian seeks to bring blasphemy case vs BBC

By Mike Collett-White

LONDON (Reuters) - A Christian activist sought on Tuesday to use blasphemy laws to prosecute a top BBC executive over the broadcaster's decision to screen "Jerry Springer-The Opera", a musical many Christians found offensive.

Stephen Green of Christian Voice said he was at High Court to try to overturn a decision by a district judge not to allow him to pursue his case against BBC director-general Mark Thompson and Jon Thoday, the musical's producer.

Green joined protests against the BBC in 2005 over its decision to air "Jerry Springer - The Opera", which he has said likened Jesus to "the perv in a nappy".

The show, based on American television host Jerry Springer's brash talk show, depicts Jesus being referred to as "a little bit gay" and features Eve attempting to fondle his genitals.

The demonstrations ignited debate in Britain about freedom of expression and whether artists should be allowed to tackle sensitive issues, especially religion.

Civil liberties group Liberty, allowed to make a written submission in the case, called Britain's blasphemy law "outdated" and "ripe for repeal", and argued that the offence of blasphemy violated the European Convention on Human Rights.

"These blasphemy laws should be shelved in dusty archives, not used as a tool to bring mischievous prosecutions against the arts," said Liberty's legal officer Anna Fairclough.

It said the last successful prosecution using blasphemy law was brought by Mary Whitehouse in 1977 against Gay News for publishing a poem about a Roman soldier's love for Christ.