Three men have been jailed after becoming the first to be convicted of stirring up hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation for handing out a leaflet calling for gay people to be executed.

Ihjaz Ali, Kabir Ahmed and Razwan Javed gave out the pamphlet, entitled The Death Penalty?, that showed an image of a mannequin hanging from a noose and quoted Islamic texts that said capital punishment was the only way to rid society of homosexuality. Ali was jailed for two years and Ahmed and Javed for 15 months each.

Following a trial at Derby Crown Court last month, they were convicted by a jury of distributing threatening written material intending to stir up hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation - the first prosecution of its kind since legislation came into force in March 2010.

Two other men, Mehboob Hussain and Umar Javed, who were also charged with the same offence, were found not guilty.

The Death Penalty? leaflet stated that the Islamic verdict on anyone caught committing homosexuality is to apply capital punishment to both parties involved.

Sentencing the men, Judge John Burgess, Recorder of Derby, told them: "You have been convicted of intending to stir up hatred. It follows that your intention was to do great harm in a peaceful community."

He went on: "Much has been said during the course of this trial about freedom of expression, and the freedom to preach strongly held beliefs; beliefs, which may have some foundation in scripture. Freedom of speech is a cornerstone of democracy and a basic ingredient of any free society.

"Parliament clearly had this very much in mind when this legislation was passed."

New legislation was passed in March 2010 to include homophobia, around three months before the offences took place. The legislation, the judge said, was passed by Parliament in order to urge people to refrain from behaviour which would stir up hatred.

Taxi driver Ali, 42, of Fairfax Road, who prosecutor Bobbie Cheema said was believed to be the main organiser and supplier of the leaflets, was found guilty of four counts of distribution on July 2 and July 4. Ahmed, 28, who is married with a nine-month-old daughter and lives in Madeley Street, and Razwan Javed, 28, who is single and lives with his parents and grandparents in Wilfred Street, were convicted of distribution in the area of the mosque on July 2.