The BBC has this story, and the responses from some of the Muslims are in favor of the punishment.
BBC NEWS | Africa | Sudan teddy insult teacher: Readers' views

They need to learn how to live and act like civilized people in the present, not in the world of a thousand years ago.

It boggles the mind as to why a non-Muslim from England would want to go there. Another case of do-gooderism, I guess.