The three-day trial of Pastor James McConnell had moments of theology, ideology and comedy. At first people in the public gallery were struggling to hear the defence barrister, so the judge asked him to speak up, saying, ‘Pretend you're a preacher.’ There were 120 supporters of the 78-year-old pastor filling the public gallery. He was on trial for words he used about Islam in a sermon to his congregation that was later published online. Although he described Islam as satanic, heathen and spawned in hell, the prosecution focused on his words, ‘People say there are good Muslims in Britain. That may be so - but I don't trust them’, which were considered a breach of the Communications Act. The judge will decide whether the sermon broke the law or not and deliver his verdict on 5 January.