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| Teddy row teacher returning home | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A UK teacher who was jailed in Sudan for letting her class name a teddy bear Muhammad has begun her journey home after being freed. | |
| Gillian Gibbons, 54, from Liverpool, was freed after eight days in custody. She had been given a 15-day jail term. | Gillian Gibbons, 54, from Liverpool, was freed after eight days in custody. She had been given a 15-day jail term. |
| She is flying back to the UK via Dubai. Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir pardoned her after talks with two British Muslim peers. | |
| In a statement, Mrs Gibbons apologised for "any distress". | In a statement, Mrs Gibbons apologised for "any distress". |
| She is expected to land in the UK on Tuesday morning. | |
| Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the teacher was "elated" to be free. | |
| And Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was "delighted" at the teacher's release. | |
| She has shown very good British grit in very difficult circumstances David MilibandForeign Secretary | She has shown very good British grit in very difficult circumstances David MilibandForeign Secretary |
| Mother-of-two Mrs Gibbons was released four days after receiving a 15-day sentence for insulting religion. | |
| Following her release, Mr Miliband said the teacher was "a little overwhelmed" at the attention her case had attracted, but was in "remarkably good spirits" and "elated to be back on her way home". | Following her release, Mr Miliband said the teacher was "a little overwhelmed" at the attention her case had attracted, but was in "remarkably good spirits" and "elated to be back on her way home". |
| The foreign secretary also hailed the "team effort" which led to Mrs Gibbons's release, praising diplomatic staff and saying that the intervention of Baroness Warsi and Lord Ahmed had been "an important contribution". | The foreign secretary also hailed the "team effort" which led to Mrs Gibbons's release, praising diplomatic staff and saying that the intervention of Baroness Warsi and Lord Ahmed had been "an important contribution". |
| Khartoum protest | Khartoum protest |
| "She has shown very good British grit in very difficult circumstances but I know that the most important thing for her is to get home as soon as possible and return to her family," he said. | "She has shown very good British grit in very difficult circumstances but I know that the most important thing for her is to get home as soon as possible and return to her family," he said. |
| Earlier, a demonstration of about 30 or 40 people was held outside the embassy in Khartoum, with banners protesting about the decision to release her. | Earlier, a demonstration of about 30 or 40 people was held outside the embassy in Khartoum, with banners protesting about the decision to release her. |
| Mrs Gibbons was arrested on 25 November and jailed on 29 November after allowing her pupils to name a teddy bear Muhammad. | Mrs Gibbons was arrested on 25 November and jailed on 29 November after allowing her pupils to name a teddy bear Muhammad. |
| TEDDY ROW TEACHER TIMELINE Sept: Gillian Gibbons's class votes to name a teddy bear Muhammad25 Nov: She is arrested for allegedly insulting Islam's Prophet27 Nov: Gordon Brown says efforts are being made to release her28 Nov: Mrs Gibbons is charged with insulting religion and inciting hatred29 Nov: A Sudanese court finds her guilty of insulting Islam and sentences her to 15 days in prison and deportation30 Nov: Angry protesters in Khartoum demand a harsher sentence1 Dec: Two British Muslim peers press Sudanese officials to pardon her3 Dec: Mrs Gibbons is pardoned by Sudan's president and freed from prison In pictures: Teddy row | TEDDY ROW TEACHER TIMELINE Sept: Gillian Gibbons's class votes to name a teddy bear Muhammad25 Nov: She is arrested for allegedly insulting Islam's Prophet27 Nov: Gordon Brown says efforts are being made to release her28 Nov: Mrs Gibbons is charged with insulting religion and inciting hatred29 Nov: A Sudanese court finds her guilty of insulting Islam and sentences her to 15 days in prison and deportation30 Nov: Angry protesters in Khartoum demand a harsher sentence1 Dec: Two British Muslim peers press Sudanese officials to pardon her3 Dec: Mrs Gibbons is pardoned by Sudan's president and freed from prison In pictures: Teddy row |
| She was arrested after another member of staff at Unity High School complained to the Ministry of Education about the incident in September. | She was arrested after another member of staff at Unity High School complained to the Ministry of Education about the incident in September. |
| The press office of President al-Bashir announced that he had pardoned Mrs Gibbons following his meeting with Baroness Warsi and Lord Ahmed, and that she had been "released after their mediation". | The press office of President al-Bashir announced that he had pardoned Mrs Gibbons following his meeting with Baroness Warsi and Lord Ahmed, and that she had been "released after their mediation". |
| In a statement read out by Baroness Warsi, Mrs Gibbons said: "I have great respect for the Islamic religion and would not knowingly offend anyone and I am sorry if I caused any distress. | In a statement read out by Baroness Warsi, Mrs Gibbons said: "I have great respect for the Islamic religion and would not knowingly offend anyone and I am sorry if I caused any distress. |
| "I am looking forward to seeing my family and friends but I am very sorry that I will be unable to return to Sudan and work in Unity High School as the teacher of 2X." | "I am looking forward to seeing my family and friends but I am very sorry that I will be unable to return to Sudan and work in Unity High School as the teacher of 2X." |
| Lord Ahmed thanked the president for granting the pardon and said both he and Baroness Warsi were proud to have been able to help Mrs Gibbons. | Lord Ahmed thanked the president for granting the pardon and said both he and Baroness Warsi were proud to have been able to help Mrs Gibbons. |
| "This is a case which is unfortunate, unintentional, innocent misunderstanding, and as British Muslim parliamentarians we, Baroness Warsi and myself, we feel proud that we've been able to secure Gillian Gibbons's release." | "This is a case which is unfortunate, unintentional, innocent misunderstanding, and as British Muslim parliamentarians we, Baroness Warsi and myself, we feel proud that we've been able to secure Gillian Gibbons's release." |
| Efforts applauded | Efforts applauded |
| Speaking later, Baroness Warsi said that when she and Lord Ahmed had visited Mrs Gibbons in custody, all three had made "lots of Yorkshire jokes". All three were brought up in the county. | Speaking later, Baroness Warsi said that when she and Lord Ahmed had visited Mrs Gibbons in custody, all three had made "lots of Yorkshire jokes". All three were brought up in the county. |
| Asked how she and Lord Ahmed had helped to win freedom for Mrs Gibbons, Baroness Warsi said: "We played very different roles but complementary roles with different negotiation skills which had to be used." | Asked how she and Lord Ahmed had helped to win freedom for Mrs Gibbons, Baroness Warsi said: "We played very different roles but complementary roles with different negotiation skills which had to be used." |
| The peers met Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir | The peers met Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir |
| Mr Brown said it was "completely wrong" that Mrs Gibbons had been detained, and described her imprisonment as "completely unacceptable". | Mr Brown said it was "completely wrong" that Mrs Gibbons had been detained, and described her imprisonment as "completely unacceptable". |
| He said: "Through the course of Mrs Gibbons's detention I was glad to see Muslim groups across the UK express strong support for her case. | He said: "Through the course of Mrs Gibbons's detention I was glad to see Muslim groups across the UK express strong support for her case. |
| "I applaud the particular efforts of Lord Ahmed and Baroness Warsi in securing her freedom. I am also grateful to our officials for all their work behind the scenes." | "I applaud the particular efforts of Lord Ahmed and Baroness Warsi in securing her freedom. I am also grateful to our officials for all their work behind the scenes." |
| Speaking to reporters outside his home in Liverpool, Mrs Gibbons's son John said he was "very pleased". | Speaking to reporters outside his home in Liverpool, Mrs Gibbons's son John said he was "very pleased". |
| He said: "I'd like to thank the government for all they have done, the hard work behind the scenes, especially the two peers who went out there. | He said: "I'd like to thank the government for all they have done, the hard work behind the scenes, especially the two peers who went out there. |
| "Everyone's been really great. Obviously it's a great feeling today, we're very pleased, we have been under a lot of pressure." | "Everyone's been really great. Obviously it's a great feeling today, we're very pleased, we have been under a lot of pressure." |
| Gillian should never have been arrested in the first place, let alone held in jail - she had done nothing wrong Inayat BunglawalaMuslim Council of Britain Reaction in quotes Teacher freed - your views | Gillian should never have been arrested in the first place, let alone held in jail - she had done nothing wrong Inayat BunglawalaMuslim Council of Britain Reaction in quotes Teacher freed - your views |
| Dr Khalid al-Mubarak, of the Sudanese embassy in London, said he hoped the affair would not damage relations between Sudan and the UK. | Dr Khalid al-Mubarak, of the Sudanese embassy in London, said he hoped the affair would not damage relations between Sudan and the UK. |
| Ibrahim Mogra from the Muslim Council of Britain told BBC News 24 that the whole saga had been very damaging for the image of the Muslim faith as it could lead some people to "feel that Islam has no place in modern society". | Ibrahim Mogra from the Muslim Council of Britain told BBC News 24 that the whole saga had been very damaging for the image of the Muslim faith as it could lead some people to "feel that Islam has no place in modern society". |
| President al-Bashir had been under pressure from Sudanese hardliners to ensure Mrs Gibbons served her full sentence. | President al-Bashir had been under pressure from Sudanese hardliners to ensure Mrs Gibbons served her full sentence. |
| There were other calls for a retrial and for the sentence to be increased. | There were other calls for a retrial and for the sentence to be increased. |
| BBC Islamic affairs analyst Roger Hardy said the row over Mrs Gibbons had strained relations between Britain and Sudan - and, beyond that, between the West and Islam. | BBC Islamic affairs analyst Roger Hardy said the row over Mrs Gibbons had strained relations between Britain and Sudan - and, beyond that, between the West and Islam. |
| And even if intervention by two prominent British Muslims had succeeded in limiting the damage, the fact remained that damage had been done, he added. | And even if intervention by two prominent British Muslims had succeeded in limiting the damage, the fact remained that damage had been done, he added. |