Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has criticised a ruling against a Christian bakery for refusing to bake a pro-gay marriage cake, saying that the ruling “is a defeat for freedom of expression”.

The appeal court judges said that the owners of Ashers Bakery, in Belfast, acted illegally when they refused to bake a cake with the slogan “Support Gay Marriage”.

Belfast’s County Court ruled in May that the bakers had “unlawfully discriminated” against Gareth Lee, a gay man who requested the cake.

The appeal court upheld the original verdict by Belfast’s County Court that the bakery had breached equality legislation and should pay a £500 penalty.