Teacher overwhelmed by warmth of supporters after return from Sudan

Dec 12 2007 by David Higgerson, Liverpool Daily Post

GILLIAN GIBBONS, the Liverpool teacher jailed in Sudan for allowing children to name a teddy bear Mohammed, last night revealed how overwhelmed she had been by support from her home city.

Ms Gibbons, 54, is now back home following her remarkable ordeal, which has made her a global household name.

The primary school teacher, who went to teach in Sudan last summer, was jailed last month after being convicted of insulting Islam after authorities were told she had let children in her class name a teddy Mohammed.

The initial jail sentence was 15 days, but she was released early after receiving a presidential pardon from the Sudanese president following government intervention. Speaking yesterday, Ms Gibbons said: “The support I have received from Liverpool, my ho me city, has been incredible.

“So many people have written to me since I got back. Some of the letters just say ‘Gillian Gibbons, Liverpool’ and they have found their way to my son’s house.

“One of them just said on it ‘Gillian Gibbons, you know the teacher’ and it still found its way to me. I realise I did something wrong but I didn’t know I was doing anything wrong at the time.

“There were boys in my class called Mohammed, and I didn’t realise that it would cause offence to let the children name the teddy bear Mohammed.”

Ms Gibbons now plans to travel again in the New Year, possibly to China.