A CHRISTIAN preacher who was thrown off a university social work course after expressing views on Facebook opposing same-sex marriage said he was shocked the same university was happy to welcome an Islamic cleric who defended violence against women.

Felix Ngole took his challenge over his expulsion from the University of Sheffield to the High Court where a two-day hearing was held last week.

He now faces a wait of weeks or even months for a decision after deputy High Court judge Rowena Collins-Rice reserved her ruling on the case.

Mr Ngole says his rights to freedom of speech and thought, enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights, had been breached. But lawyers for the university said because Mr Ngole had been studying for a professional qualification as a social worker and had to consider his ‘fitness to practise’ in the future, that their decision to remove him from the course was fair and proportionate.

He says he can remain professional in working with gay, lesbian and bisexual people and still have faith in Bible teachings - including his belief that same sex marriage is a sin.

This week Mr Ngole told the Chronicle: “I have to wait now for a decision, I don’t know how long, weeks or maybe months.

“If it goes my way then that’s the end of the story, but if it does not, I am prepared to take this all the way to the European Court of Human Rights.

“We did our very best to put our case across in the hearing. It’s really difficult to know how it is going to go.

“One point we made is that the university invited in a radical Islamic preacher, who said it was OK to beat women, and there were so many members of the public there. They said that was free speech.

“But then on the other hand they’re giving me a hard time for putting my own personal views across, quite temperately on Facebook, because they don’t like my point of view.”

Egyptian cleric Fadel Soliman was a speaker at the University of Sheffield in December 2015. Speaking about physical punishment for wives who have displeased their husbands, he said 'the hitting must be done with a small stick'.

The lecture was covered in national media and the university said in a statement at the time: "External speakers play a central role in university life and allow students to be exposed to a range of different beliefs, challenge other people's views and develop their own opinions."

Felix, 39, of Aireton Road, Barnsley, works as a supply teacher, and as a carer for vulnerable adults. But he still wishes to be a social worker.

He made comments that same sex marriage was a sin on Facebook during a discussion over the dismissal of an official in America who had expressed an objection to issuing marriage certificates to same-sex couples.

A university fitness to practise committee had decided to exclude Mr Ngole in early 2016 and that decision had been upheld by an appeals committee.

Felix said while there has been no criminal investigation into his comments, the dismissal from the course could still hinder his future employment prospects.

He said he still hopes one day to complete his training and progress into a career in social work.

“I have always wanted to care for people,” said Felix, who was born in Cameroon but has been in the UK since 2003.

“My grandmother in Cameroon was blind, and I think that was where my desire to help and care for people started.”