David Skinner is a retired teacher and pensioner who "attended a lecture given by Mr Eric Anderson (pictured) at Bournemouth University on 27th February 2012, entitled 'Open Lecture: Changing the Game - Gay Athletes then and now'.
During the lecture, David became increasingly concerned by Mr Anderson's hostility towards older people and especially Christians, whom Mr Anderson perceived were opposed to his own viewpoint, and by Mr Anderson's use of obscene language.
David was invited to ask a question during the Q&A session that followed the address. When he rose to his feet, he sought to preface his question by raising his concerns about the hostility and obscenity that had featured in Mr Anderson's lecture.
He began, "First I want to object to the obscene language, insults and slander ..."
However, David said that at that point Mr Anderson began to shout "Out! Out! Out!", before leaving the platform, rushing with his arms outstretched towards David and then continuing to shout in David's face, at a very close distance.
David said that he was then forced out of the lecture room by staff and members of the audience, before being subjected to further verbal aggression by Mr Anderson outside." (Christian Concern, 5 December 2014)
Mr Anderson's views on sexuality, promiscuity and child molestation can be read here. (Christian Concern, 10 November 2014)
We reported on the incident back in 2012 and have kept in contact with David before and after the court case.
Also (Hampshire Chronicle, 14 November 2014) and (Hampshire Chronicle, 29 November 2014).
It takes great courage and resilience to deal with any matter in a court case, but for David the principle of freedom of speech and having the opportunity when invited to state an opposing view to Mr Anderson at the lecture was important enough, that when prohibited and forcibly ejected from the lecture room, he refused to be silenced and went to court to exercise his right.
The case and the attendant media coverage has published Mr Anderson's views more widely and that he is a member of staff at Winchester University.