A pointless arrest in preparation for a pointless law
MediaWatchWatch reports that a teenager has been sentenced to 80 hours community service for wearing a T-shirt.
Apparently…
Adam Shepherd, 19, was convicted under new anti-hate laws which ban people from displaying religiously insulting signs. The teenager was arrested after a woman complained to police when she saw his shirt, which promotes extreme heavy metal band Cradle of Filth. The T-shirt shows a picture of a nun in a pornographic pose. On the back is a comment about Jesus.
The euphamistic “comment about Jesus” is “Jesus is a Cunt”.
As MWW points out, Adam can’t have been prosecuted under the new “anti-hate laws” because they haven’t been passed. So, although this teenager may lack taste (now there’s a surprise!), does wearing a t-shirt really make him a criminal?
Apparently so…
Feb 1, 2005, Dale Wilson, 35, of Norwich, was arrested by two police officers as he walked to the newsagents on Halloween ‘04. He pleaded guilty to “religiously aggravated offensive conduct”. He was eventually discharged and told to “grow up”. He paid £150 costs, and the judge ordered that the T-shirt be destroyed.
Back in ‘97, Rob Kenyon, 29, of London was found guilty of committing the offence of “Profane Representation under the 1839 Act” by Bow Street Magistrates Court. He was fined £150.
And several other people have found themselves in trouble over the shirt, the details of which can be found via MWW.
Two thoughts spring to mind regarding this. Firstly, is going around arresting teenagers with dubious sartorial style really a good use of police time? Secondly, if someone can already be convicted for causing religious offence, why is the government so determined to force through another law that says the same?
Friday 21 Oct 2005 | Paul | UK
In some ways I agree, why prosecute the wearer although if the person chooses to wear something so profane to Christians, Jews and Muslems (Jesus is recognised by the second and third as a Prophet) then more fool them.
No, it is the supplier of the goods that seems to go completely uncharged and yet if they did not supply…..
At present in Haverfordwest two young people were caught wearing the said tee shirt. They have gone unpunished by the law but their parents made up for that! The shop that supplied them, however, cannot be prosecuted as the goods were from a mail order catalogue and not on the shelf.
So, can we prosecute the Mail Order catalogue? NO! Under some obscure law, if they sold the shirts in the street they could be prosecuted but as they are mail order…
At present we are contacting The Trading Standards to see if the sale can be banned in the UK as it seems to be in many other countries.
If you know of any shops selling them advise them to get rid, soon (and not by selling to the public).
I don’t see why you feel the need to prosecute anyone.
If someone wears an offensive t-shirt, neither you, I, nor anyone else is harmed.
If someone sells an offensive t-shirt, neither you, I, nor anyone else is harmed.
We shouldn’t be banning things just because we don’t like what they are saying because, if you look hard enough, you will find someone to take offence at every t-shirt in existence.
@Grayham Passmore
I do not feel arresting people for insulting religion is something that should be done.
I myself feel insulted by the fact that we “humanity” in the year 2007 still need a fable to live by. That without it they see no purpose in life.
I find that offensive, yet nobody is arrested.
I thereby feel you cannot arrest someone. Infact, if i find jesus a cunt, that will be my deal. Its called an opinion. I find these arrests a breach in freedom of speech.