Now That Stings
British taxpayers just forked out $31,000 to prosecute a 66-year-old woman who operates a pet shop with her son. Charged and found guilty of a heinous offence, Joan Higgins, sufficiently of this world to have great-grandchildren, has been sentenced to wear an electronic ankle tag. She must additionally obey a night-time court-imposed curfew. This 7-week punishment is most unfortunate, but the law is the law.
She did, after all - or her son did as an employee on behalf of the owner of the pet shop - sell a goldfish to an under-aged boy of 14. British law has it under the Animal Welfare Act that this is illegal. Mark Higgins has also been punished. He has been ordered to put up a stiff upper lip and pay a fine of $1,150, and to invest in 120 hours of unpaid community service. This is serious, very serious stuff.
Britain will not brook this type of criminal activity on the part of its citizens. Five years ago the passage of Britain's Animal Welfare Act made it illegal to sell live fish to anyone under the age of 16. Anyone under that age must be presumed to be moronic to the extent that the fish would end up on the dinner table instead of in the family fish tank, free to swim about at leisure.
In fact, the 'boy' who was sent into the pet shop did so schooled by police, in an entrapment process. The authorities dispatched the boy as an undercover agent, determined to pursue a tip that the store was engaging in prohibited acts - selling pets to underage customers. Subsequently, Ms. Higgins, realizing the depths of her depravity, now insists on scrutinizing age ID from clients, even those wearing grizzled beards, walking with the aid of a cane.
This woman regrets her brief life of crime. Particularly since, throughout her seven-week curfew she will be unable to attend her weekly bingo games, she will miss babysitting her great-grandchildren, and Omigod! she will be forced to miss a Rod Stewart concert.
She did, after all - or her son did as an employee on behalf of the owner of the pet shop - sell a goldfish to an under-aged boy of 14. British law has it under the Animal Welfare Act that this is illegal. Mark Higgins has also been punished. He has been ordered to put up a stiff upper lip and pay a fine of $1,150, and to invest in 120 hours of unpaid community service. This is serious, very serious stuff.
Britain will not brook this type of criminal activity on the part of its citizens. Five years ago the passage of Britain's Animal Welfare Act made it illegal to sell live fish to anyone under the age of 16. Anyone under that age must be presumed to be moronic to the extent that the fish would end up on the dinner table instead of in the family fish tank, free to swim about at leisure.
In fact, the 'boy' who was sent into the pet shop did so schooled by police, in an entrapment process. The authorities dispatched the boy as an undercover agent, determined to pursue a tip that the store was engaging in prohibited acts - selling pets to underage customers. Subsequently, Ms. Higgins, realizing the depths of her depravity, now insists on scrutinizing age ID from clients, even those wearing grizzled beards, walking with the aid of a cane.
This woman regrets her brief life of crime. Particularly since, throughout her seven-week curfew she will be unable to attend her weekly bingo games, she will miss babysitting her great-grandchildren, and Omigod! she will be forced to miss a Rod Stewart concert.
Labels: Animal Stories, Social-Cultural Deviations, Whoops
posted by Pieface @ 6:28 PM
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