Jerry Springer - The Opera not blasphemous say judges

Two high court judges have ruled that Jerry Springer - The Opera, shown on BBC" in 2005, could not be considered blasphemous "in context".

Lord Justice Hughes and Mr Justice Collins said, "As a whole [it] was not and could not reasonably be regarded as aimed at, or an attack on, Christianity or what Christians held sacred," according to Guardian Unlimited.

The ruling comes after an attempt by Christian Voice to bring a criminal prosecution against the BBC director general Mark Thompson and the producer of the stage show Jonathan Thoday, for blasphemy.

Guardian Unlimited says that Christian Voice called the show "an offensive, spiteful, systematic mockery and wilful denigration of Christian belief... [that] clearly crossed the blasphemy threshold".

A district judge at an earlier hearing at Westminster magistates court decided against issuing a summons against Thompson.

Lord Justice Hughes and Mr Justice Collins said, "She [the judge] was entitled to conclude that on the undisputed evidence no jury, correctly directed as to law, could properly convict," reports Guardian unlimited.

Christian Voice have been refused permission to appeal the decision, their only option is to let the law lords decide whether they will hear the case.

A BBC spokesman welcomed the court's ruling: "The BBC took the decision to broadcast Jerry Springer - the Opera after the most careful consideration.

"We believe the work, taken in its proper context, satirises and attacks exploitative chat shows and not the Christian religion. The court's judgment today vindicates that decision in full.

"It is a matter of regret that considerable public money has been spent on a case with no merit. The BBC had no choice but to defend this case, but in our view it should never have been brought."

Jerry Springer - the Opera was broadcast in January 2005 and featured God, Jesus Christ, Mary, Adam, Eve and Satan as guests on a special edition Jerry Springer show set in hell. There were over 200 swear words in the show.

Before the show was even broadcast, the BBC received 55,000 complaints. Following the show's broadcast, regulator Ofcom received another 9,000 complaints.

The national director of Christian Voice, Stephen Green told MediaGuardian.co.uk that he was expecting his case to be heard by the House of Lords.

He added that, "If this decision stands it means that broadcasters and theatre managers have carte blanche to blaspheme... The printed press can't but broadcasters can - was that the intention of parliament? The guts of the laws of blasphemy have been torn out by judicial decree.

"I'm really sympathetic to the freedom of speech argument. But blasphemy is not a matter of free speech, it's people going out of their way to offend almighty God.

"The fact that some people get their kicks out of insulting Jesus Christ does not mean the rest of us or the law should put up with this."