Victory in forces gay rights claim

The court ordered payouts totalling more than £350,000

Four men and a woman who were dismissed from the services because of the armed forces' ban on homosexuality have been awarded compensation by the European Court of Human Rights.

The five cases were brought after the forces' ban on homosexuality was revoked in 2000.

The compensation totals more than £350,000.

The court found the The UK Government had breached Articles Eight and 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Gay clubs

The largest payment in the judgment - £115,756 - was awarded to former RAF Flight Lieutenant Kevin Bazeley, from Worcester.

Mr Bazeley, 35, joined the RAF in 1985 but was discharged in August 1994 after his wallet was found to contain membership cards for two homosexual clubs.

Howard Copp, from Tyne and Wear, was a private in the Royal Army Medical Corps, which he joined in 1978.

He was discharged in 1982 after disclosing his homosexuality because he did not want to be separated from his partner by a posting to Germany.

Exemplary record

Mr Copp, 45, was awarded £78,715.

John Beck, 43, from Lancashire, was discharged from the RAF, in which he was a sergeant, after declaring in 1993 that he was a celibate homosexual.

He was studying theology and was considering ordination.

A spokesman for the court said: "At the time of his discharge, he was a communications systems analyst at the rank of Sergeant with an exemplary conduct record and highly recommended for promotion."

Lesbian affair

Mr Beck was awarded £105,713.

Royal Navy medical assistant Terrence Perkins, 33, from London, was working at the Royal Hospital Haslar in Gosport, Hampshire, when he was discharged in 1995 for being homosexual.

He was awarded £21,761.

The final case was brought by a 30-year-old radio operator in the Royal Navy who confided in her room mate that she was having a lesbian affair with a civilian.

The colleague informed the authorities and she was dismissed in 1992.

The claimant, who was referred to only as Ms R and was said to be from Surrey, was awarded £50,004.