US Christian florist pays $5,000 to settle

A 77-year-old Christian florist will pay $5,000 to end a 10-year legal battle over her refusal to provide floral arrangements for a same-sex wedding ceremony. She has also announced that she will retire so that her flower shop can be run by her employees.

Barronelle Stutzman of Arlene’s Flowers in Richland, Washington, was sued by Rob Ingersoll, a man she had done business with in the past, because she refused to provide a floral arrangement for his same-sex wedding in 2013, citing her Christian beliefs as her reason.

Both Ingersoll and his partner filed a lawsuit against Stutzman. In 2015, she was issued with a $1,000 (£723) fine by a court in Washington.