A government official has been jailed in the United States this week for refusing to administer marriage licences at her Kentucky offices.

49-year-old Kim Davis was found to be in contempt of court and taken to jail by US marshals.

Ms Davis has bound her administration to her word for many weeks now, denying marriage licences to all couples who would seek one since the US Supreme Court declared marriage equality to be a constitutional right.

As an Apostolic Christian, Davis claims she is under “God’s authority” to deny licences to couples despite the Supreme Court ruling.

“Marriage is a union between one man and one woman,” Davis told the courts, “I’ve weighed the cost and I’m prepared to go to jail.”

Presiding US District judge David Bunning reasoned that a fine would not be suitable for Ms Davis, who earns $80,000 as a government official. Ms Davis is also receiving cost-free representation from Christian advocacy group, Liberty Counsel.

“The court doesn’t do this lightly,” Bunning said.

Many conservatives have thrown their support behind Ms Davis. Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee tweeted that seeing “Kim Davis in federal custody removes all doubts about the criminalization of Christianity in this country.”

President Obama’s office has supported Judge Bunning’s decision, saying “No public official is above the rule of law, certainly not president of the United States, but neither is the Rowan county clerk.”

Bunning heard a pledge from five of the six deputies working under Ms Davis, that they would resume providing licences to the public. Ms Davis’ son, who works at the Kentucky office, did not make the pledge.

OIP Staff