Monk threatened with jail after storming into a church and shouting: 'This is a synagogue of sin'

A monk from a controversial Catholic sect has been threatened with jail after storming into a church shouting: 'This is a synagogue of sin'. Damon Kelly, dressed all in black, charged into two separate churches on the same day, interrupting Sunday
services on May 29 this year.

The monk, who has been in court before for causing offence with his views, was charged with threatening and abusive behaviour after shocking churchgoers.

Appearing at Dunoon Sheriff Court on the west coast of Scotland, he received a stern warning form Sheriff Thomas Ward.

The judge said: 'If you do this again and you cause this type of trouble again, no matter what your views, you will go to jail.'

The 54 year-old, who is a member of a Catholic group calling themselves the Black Hermits, previously claimed: 'I'm doing God's work' when he fell foul of the law.

Last year the self-styled monk found himself in court after he posted an anti-gay leaflet through the door of a pagan lesbian couple.

And when they confronted him about it he told implied they were witches, telling them: 'We used to burn people like you'.

At Dunoon, the court was told that Kelly, who is currently living at the Caledonian Hotel, Dunoon, stormed into St John's Presbyterian Church in the town on May 29.

Later he barged into the parish church in the nearby village of Kirn while a service was in progress and disrupted proceedings.

During the hearing, Kelly, tried several times to interrupt Sheriff Thomas Ward to preach the sect's controversial views.

But he told the monk: 'This is not a conversation. I am speaking, and you have to listen.'

He tried to defend his views but was warned: 'You can express your views any way you want so long as it is within the law.'

Kelly interrupted again to say: 'May I ask a question?' to which Sheriff Ward replied: 'I am not here to answer questions, that is not the way this works.'

Kelly was ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work within nine months.

After passing sentence Sheriff Ward offered him some advice, saying: 'You have to use some discretion and not upset the people you have to work with.'

'Brother Damon' is the self-styled leader of the Black Hermits, a trio of Catholics under personal vows to their local bishop based in Corby, Northamptonshire.

Last year Kelly was in court after delivering leaflets campaigning against homosexuality and other 'sins' he believes are burdening the world.

After posting one through the door of the married lesbians one if them stopped Kelly further down the street and tried to hand back the leaflet.

Kelly, who was dressed in black monk's robes, told the woman, 'keep it, urinate on it, defecate on it'.

The woman's partner joined her outside and defended the couple's sexuality and pagan beliefs. The court heard both parties were quoting scripture at other.

Last year the self-styled monk found himself in court after he posted an anti-gay leaflet through the door of a pagan lesbian couple 

Mr Chapman, described as an 'aggressive and fanatical' the monk told the women: 'You know we used to burn people like you.'

Two weeks later he returned to the couple's home to post an offensive letter, with distressing content, Leicester magistrates' court was told last year.

Addressed 'To the witches from the monk', it described 'witches, gays, lesbians and sex-changers' as being part of the 'devil's madness'.

He admitted harassing the couple in their home in Leicester, in October, 2014.

He was banned from distributing unsolicited material about religious, sexual or reproductive topics to addresses, or calling at doors without prior permission from the occupant.

But at an appeal hearing at Leicester Crown Court earlier this year, Judge Nicholas Dean QC, sitting with two magistrates, lifted the ban.

Afterwards 'Brother' Damon, who claims he only promotes Christian teachings on homosexuality and abortion, said he expects to be imprisoned for continuing to confront Britain's 'culture of death.'

'I've wrestled with it, I've sought spiritual counsel. And I've decided I have to obey God's law and not the State's law. Which will land you in a lot of trouble.' he said.