Convicting man over Koran burning would reintroduce blasphemy law, court told Hamit Coskun, 50, set fire to a copy of the holy book while shouting abusive slogans outside the Turkish consulate in London, Westminster Magistrates' Court heard.

(Sky News) Convicting a man for burning the Koran would be “tantamount to reintroducing a blasphemy law,” his defence team has told a court.

Hamit Coskun appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday after he allegedly shouted abusive slogans about Islam while burning the holy book outside the Turkish consulate in Knightsbridge, London, on 13 February.

The 50-year-old denies a religiously aggravated public order offence of using disorderly behaviour and an alternative charge of using disorderly behaviour “within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress.”

Katy Thorne, defending, said at his trial that the prosecution pursuing the case against Coskun was “seeking to introduce a law unknown to this land, namely blasphemy in relation to Islam.”

Read more.