Saturday, April 17, 2010

When You Think You've Heard It All...!


I picked up this story from the PTShamrock newsletter!

I guess this is another thing we have in store for us, sine the British have proven that it can be done so easily! This is almost beyond belief!

Pet shop owner fined GBP1,000 and told to wear an electronic tag...for selling a GOLDFISH to a boy aged 14-
Mail Online

Her offence was to unwittingly sell a goldfish to a 14-year-old boy taking part in a trading standards 'sting'.

At most, pet shop owner Joan Higgins, 66, expected a slap on the wrist for breaking new animal welfare laws which ban the sale of pets to under-16s. Instead, the great-grandmother was taken to court, fined GBP1,000, placed under curfew - and ordered to wear an electronic tag for two months. The punishment is normally handed out to violent thugs and repeat offenders.

The prosecution of Mrs Higgins and her son Mark is estimated to have cost taxpayers GBP20,000 and has left her with a criminal record.

Mark, 47, was also fined and ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work in the community.

Last night, as an MP criticised the magistrates, Mrs Higgins - who has
run the pet shop for 28 years - said the family's eight-month ordeal had left them traumatised.

She added: 'It's ridiculous. I mean, what danger am I that I have to wear an electronic tag? These last few months have been a very stressful time.'

The seven-week curfew imposed by the court means she is unable to babysit her great-grandson at his home or go to bingo sessions with her sister, and will be unable to attend a Rod Stewart concert after tickets were bought for her by her nephew, actor Will Mellor.

Her son said: 'I think it's a farce. What gets me so cross is that they put my Mum on a tag - she's nearly 70, for goodness' sake. 'She's a great-grandma so she won't be able to babysit a newborn baby.You would think they have better things to do with their time and money.'

Mr Higgins claimed the undercover operation was a clear case of entrapment - when a person is encouraged by someone in some official capacity to commit a crime - and said the case should never have gone to court. He said: 'The council sent the 14-year-old in to us. It is hard to tell how old a lad is these days. He looked much older than 14.'

He added that his mother almost fainted in the dock when magistrates told her she could go to prison for the offence. 'I told her they wouldn't send her to prison but she was still worried,' he said. 'The only other time she has been in court is when she did jury service.'

Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 it is illegal to sell pets -including goldfish - to children under the age of 16 unless they are accompanied by an adult. Pet shops must also provide advice on animal welfare to buyers.

The maximum penalty is imprisonment for up to 12 months, or a fine of up to GBP20,000, or both.

The Higgins family's ordeal began when council officials heard that Majors Pet Shop in Sale, Greater Manchester, was selling animals to children. They sent the 14-year-old schoolboy into the shop to carry out a test purchase and Mr Higgins sold him the goldfish without questioning his age or providing any information about the care of the fish.

A council officer in the shop at the time also noticed a cockatiel in a cage that appeared to be in a poor state of health. A vet found the bird had a broken leg and eye problems. It was later put down.

Mrs Higgins and her son were charged with selling the fish to a person aged under 16 and with causing unnecessary suffering to a cockatiel by failing to provide appropriate care and treatment.

Pleading guilty, Mrs Higgins told Trafford magistrates the cockatiel had not been for sale and she had been bathing its ey
e daily.


Looks to me like Big Brother is everywhere! So all you folks getting ready to sell goldfish to under aged kids...better beware, because I'm sure that it won't be long before we have laws like this here in the U.S.!

That is, if we don't already have them, hidden somewhere in the massive bills that are being passed almost daily without being read!

I think it's time for some coffee on the patio. Wonder if I have to buy a license to gather here with my friends?

15 comments:

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

I got really surprised when I read about this a couple of days ago. I think they wanted to set an example with her scaring others. But still, it is rediculus!!! Drug dealers doesn´t get hit that hard!!!

Did You know that there are more surveillance cameras in Brittain than anywhere else in the world. It´ll be even worse now when the Olympics comes 2012. Big Brother does exist in Brittain and it´s scary!
Have a great day now!
Christer.

Catman said...

I'm sick of this type of crap. Its time to turn the tables.

When an underage kid approaches you to buy booze or cigarettes for them, don't take the money from them. Tell them they can pay you when you come out.

Instead buy soda and candy and hand it to the kids. When the black jumpsuit crowd jump out to arrest you, what will they find?

Laugh in their faces. Laugh really hard.

HermitJim said...

hey Christer...
Looks like we are not the only country with big brother looking over our sholders, huh?

Hey, thanks for coming by today!


Hey Catman...
That sounds like a very workable plan to me! I can just see the look on their faces!

Thanks, buddy, for coming by!

Momlady said...

So now they have pet police. Jeesh. I like Catman's plan.

HermitJim said...

Hey Momlady...
Getting ridiculous, isn't it? You have to wonder just what's next!

hey, have a great day, and thanks for coming by!

JoJo said...

Good Morning My Special One,
What the heck? This is scary how can they do this to that poor old lady. Maybe they plan on public beheadings again and throwing beggers in the work house or worse.
Please pass the pot I need another cup after reading that.

HermitJim said...

Hey JoJo...
They don't care how old or good you are...if they want to make an example of you, they will!

World is getting crazier by the day!

Thanks, sweetie, for coming by!

Caddie said...

Well, I never! What a crockful! What else 'bs' is coming to us all?

Each day a clamp is attached onto us. I feel for those two people deeply as I'm near in age. Damn laws!

I realize there must be protective measures for the animals. Nevertheless, name me one child that is going to catch and harm a goldfish....gads.

HermitJim said...

Hey Sissy...
It does seem a bit over the top, doesn't it? Completely out of control, if you ask me!

What can we look for next? I have no idea!

Hey, I sure do appreciate your visit today!

Mechanic in Illinois said...

This is all about taking the easy money from the common people. They're not going to chance a shoot out with a drug dealer when they can take the easy money from us without a fight. We can't spend $800or more to fight a $150 ticket. It's all about beating up on the little guy so we finally revolt and they can institute marshall law. We're screwed until we are ready to really fight. Thanks for another great lesson and maybe getting the sheeple ready to fight instead of sitting on their lazy asses.

HermitJim said...

Hey Mechanic...
You never know when the final straw will come, whether here or in another country like England!

I have a feeling that more people are being feed up than the PTB want to realize.

Hey, thanks for coming by today!

Anonymous said...

What a load of old bollocks. How insane is this world going to become before someone stands up and says "Enough!"

AV

HermitJim said...

Hey AV...
Good question! I don't know the answer, but I think that some of the folks in the head offices are pushing the envelope quite a bit!

You can only push good folks so far and then...BAM! You have a problem!

I would have thought that we would have reached that point already, but I guess I was wrong.

Thanks for coming by today!

Rae said...

Here I thought the US had the market on stupidity. I guess they have a bunch of it across the big pond too. How are you Jim? Hope all is well. I have been AWOL from your blog for too long. It is good to be back. You always provide a good read.

HermitJim said...

Hey Rae...
Good to see you again! I was wondering where you were...!

I do appreciate the kind words this morning...and also the visit, my friend!