Saif ul Malook defended Bibi after she was sentenced to death by hanging for allegedly insulting the Islamic prophet Muhammad in November 2010.

While Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered her to be released in October 2018, it upheld her acquittal following mass protests and petitions calling for her to be executed.

Malook also faced death threats from Islamic extremists for his decision to represent Bibi since 2014, as have the judges who ordered Bibi to be freed.

Responding to his award, Malook said in a statement: “Thanks to the National Secular Society for recognising my efforts to secure the acquittal of Asia Bibi (below).

“To fight blasphemy cases in Pakistan is putting one’s own and families’ lives at risk.”

He is now representing another client in a blasphemy case involving Shaghufta Kausar, who faces a possible death sentence in Pakistan over a text message that allegedly insulted Muhammad.

“The moral support from organisations such as the National Secular Society has given me the courage to take the case of Shaghufta Kausar – another Christian woman on death row on blasphemy charges,” Malook added.

“I assure you that I plan to continue my mission in providing legal aid to all blasphemy victims even in future regardless to the threat to my life.”

Supporters of Pakistani radical groups burn a poster of…

Benjamin Field, 28, used a white marker pen to leave biblical messages for 83-year-old Ann Moore-Martin as part of a campaign of “gaslighting”.

Field – 57 years her junior – sent Miss Moore-Martin letters, postcards and poems speaking of his love and discussing marriage during a year-long seduction.

The church warden, who admits being in a fraudulent relationship with Miss Moore-Martin, also wrote messages urging her to give him £27,000 towards the cost of a dialysis machine, purportedly for his seriously ill brother Tom, 24.

Oxford Crown Court heard that Miss Moore-Martin, who never married or had children, later changed her will to leave her home in Maids Moreton, Buckinghamshire, to Field but changed her mind shortly before she died in May 2017 and alleged Field had poisoned her.

The jury was told Field had taken photographs of the messages, which were later recovered from his phone following his arrest.

The first message, illustrated with a cross, said: “All that you give him, He will return, Ten fold.”

A second message said: “Your intentions are holy, Your work is not yet done, Take care and complete the task, Given to you by the Lord.”

A third said: “Your soul will proceed directly to heaven, Her soul to joy; his to perfection, This good you will can never be undone. Peace is yours in me, your Lord. Amen.”

A final message said: “Pray for Ben, Ben loves you.”