Worker at Christian organisation who started watching porn to relieve the pressure of his job is awarded compensation after stress caused him to have a stroke

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A conservative Christian organisation worker has been awarded compensation after watching pornography and suffering a stroke due to office stress. 

Michael Bowker, 47, held a position as national office manager at Family Voice Australia - formerly known as Festival of Light - in Adelaide when he collapsed at work in April 2016.  

The SA Employment Tribunal awarded Mr Bowker compensation on July 31 after it was found his stress levels 'significantly contributed' to the brain haemorrhage.

Michael Bowker, 47, was the national office manager at conservative Christian organisation Family Voice Australia (service pictured) when he collapsed from a stroke in April 2016

Mr Bowker, who was born into a 'seriously religious family' in South Africa first came to rely upon pornography to relieve his stress after witnessing a drive-by shooting in 1993 and had since 'struggled with it for many years'.

'He felt this was in conflict with his religious beliefs and his moral standards,' Tribunal deputy president Stephen Lieschke said in his judgement.

'He believed that looking at pornography was a sin. 

'He said that when he felt under pressure or stress he used pornography.'  

Family Voice Australia and Return to Work SA argued Mr Bowker's use of pornography had contributed more to his stress levels than had the office culture he relied upon in his claim.

However Mr Lieschke ruled that Mr Bowker's increased viewing of pornography was a symptom and not a cause, which ultimately caused by his anxiety over work issues.  

The judgement said Mr Bowker began experiencing anxiety shortly after starting the job because of poor staff morale, long hours and his workload. 

Mr Bowker was awarded two years of compensation payments after it was determined his work (head office pictured) stress levels 'significantly contributed' to his collapse 

The 47-year-old suffered 'various complications' after his stroke and was hospitalised for three months.

The judgement said he had made improvements since but still remained 'significantly impaired'.   

Mr Bowker was awarded two years of weekly compensation payments due to the impact of work anxiety on his stroke.  

Family Voice Australia has campaigned against same-sex marriage, the decriminalisation of cannabis and sex work.

Mr Bowker increasingly used pornography in the weeks leading up to his collapse as a coping mechanism for his heightened stress levels (file image pictured)