A 28-year-old man from Derby has told a court he felt he was doing his duty as a Muslim by handing out leaflets that are alleged to be threatening and frightening to homosexuals.

Kabir Ahmed said he handed a leaflet called “Death Penalty?” to a passing policeman and put them through people’s letterboxes around the Madeley Street area of Derby in July 2010 because he was spreading the word of God as taught by Islam.

He said: “My intention was to do my duty as a Muslim, to inform people of God’s word and to give the message on what God says about homosexuality.”

Kabir Ahmed, if you find it your duty to hate me, and to spread your hate to others, then I have no respect for you or what you believe in. You are exactly what is wrong with blind devotion to/and/or organised religion.