London - An art gallery in Britain which exhibited a statue of Jesus Christ with an erection was taken to court by a devout Christian Tuesday who said she was offended by the work and argued that the gallery would "not have dared" to portray Mohammed, let alone in that way.

The artwork was part of an exhibition at Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead, near the north-eastern city of Newcastle, which featured dozens of plaster figures including Mickey Mouse, ET, and Jesus - all with erections.

The items were shown in a presentation a year ago of works by controversial Chinese artist Terence Koh.

Signs warning of the exhibition's content were posted at the entrance to the gallery, which was sued at Gateshead Magistrates Court for a breach of Section 5 of the Public Order Act and offending public decency.

Lawyers for Emily Mapfuwa, a 40-year-old Christian who said she was offended by the artwork, prosecuted the gallery for outraging public decency and causing harassment alarm and distress to the public.

Mapfuwa argued that, given the public sensitivities over the issue, the gallery would not have dared to depict Mohammed, let alone in such a way.

Mapfuwa said she believed in freedom of expression, but was of the opinion that "this statue served no other purpose than to offend Christians and to denigrate Christ."

The maximum penalty would be six months in prison and a fine of 5,000 pounds (9,100 pounds).

However, opening procedures faltered on a legal technicality Tuesday and the case was adjourned until September 23.