Offensive T-shirt

meghatronic · 13 Aug 2007 at 10:10

Fine threat over T-shirt slogan

Mr Pratt said the slogan was intended to be humorous
A man spotted on CCTV wearing a T-shirt bearing an "offensive" slogan has been warned he risks an £80 fine if he is caught again.
Forklift driver David Pratt was told by street wardens in Peterborough he could cause offence or incite violence.

The slogan on the garment read: "Don't No swearing - Gilly me off! I am running out of places to hide the bodies".

Peterborough City Council said using insulting or offensive language was an offence, even if it appeared in print.

Mr Pratt, from Peterborough, was approached by the wardens as he waited for a bus with his wife.

The couple are now demanding a written apology.

"I really don't see how the wording on my T-shirt could incite violence - it's humour, that's all it is," said Mr Pratt.

In a statement Peterborough City Council said it was investigating the incident.

Tomato Sauce: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cambridgeshire/6943734.stm

I own that t-shirt!!! This country is ridiculous.

(apologies if its a repost)

meghatronic · 13 Aug 2007 at 10:24

Gilly said:
Yes. They aren't wanted by the people that pay for it.

Sorry about the swearie Gilly - slipped through copy/pasting.

meghatronic · 13 Aug 2007 at 15:09

Tribune said:
Not sure of the exact wordings, but I believe the pigs can nick you under public order laws for something they think might incite violence/cause offence contrary to the law etc. So, being warned about that by a rent-a-cop would be fine by me.

Yeah.

Public Order Act 1986 Section 4A/5 off the top of my head. It means you can't display anything that is threatening and/or abusive and/or insulting.

(FYI, section 5 alos means you can't swear in public)

meghatronic · 13 Aug 2007 at 17:54

Baz said:
BUT, according to the actual wording, you can only be guilty of the "Fear or provocation of violence" if it is done with intent. Wearing a jokey T-shirt is NOT intent by anyones stretch of imagination

The problem is that Section 5 is relative to whom it affects, so saying the same thing to two different people could bring about arrest or nothing....

What if the copper takes offence? He's the affected one...

meghatronic · 13 Aug 2007 at 19:58

~J~ said:
I find the t-shirt funny, but I'm sorry to say I'm shocked by the amount of people on here who can't see what's wrong with it.

I'd be VERY annoyed if my daughter turned round to me and said "Dad, what does **** mean?".

99.9% of people are ****** off with this country and how the kids have no morals, etc, etc, yet in the same breath are allowing these t-shirts to be worn without repocusions.

Adult worded t-shirt should be shown in an adult place, the work force, at home, a private adult bar-b-que. In public where anyone can see it, sorry, but no. The guy was a fool for thinking he'd get away with it.

You do know the word was the p word? I hear that word on the radio in the morning.... which kids can listen to.