A judge who locked up a man after he refused to remove his Rastafarian headgear said he did not mean to cause offence.
Judge Robert Orme said that he had not intended to disparage Rastafari, but remained tight lipped regarding claims that he had told Terrence Lynch to "practise his religion outside" following the incident which happened last Tuesday.
Mr Lynch was held for two hours in police cells after he refused to move his hat while watching a court case from the public gallery.
He said it was religious headgear.
Apology
Speaking before normal court business began, Judge Orme told Birmingham Crown Court: "I do not propose to comment on the facts of the individual case, nor on the press reports that followed.
"However, if what occurred has been misunderstood or interpreted as disparaging Rastafarianism or Rastafari, that is a matter that I very much regret and, I wish to make clear, was not my intention."
Mr Lynch was held under the Contempt of Court Act.
A full-time carer for his 17-year-old disabled son, Mr Lynch subsequently demanded an apology from the judge, claiming he had suffered religious discrimination.
After reading a copy of Judge Orme's statement, Mr Lynch said: "This is nonsense. He should be apologising to me."