UK Taxpayer Money at work: Sell goldfish to unaccompanied minors, get fined + tagged

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Pet shop owner fined £1,000 and told to wear an electronic tag... for selling a GOLDFISH to a boy aged 14

By Jaya Narain
Last updated at 12:44 PM on 31st March 2010

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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 £1,000, placed under curfew - and ordered to wear an electronic tag for two months.
Seven-week curfew: Joan Higgins has to wear an electronic tag

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 £20,000 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.
Joan and Mark Higgins

Joan Higgins, 66, and her son Mark, 47, have both been ordered to pay fines after selling a goldfish to a 14-year-old boy

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.'
Majors Pet shop in Sale, Greater Manchester, where the incident occurred

Majors Pet shop in Sale, Greater Manchester, owned by Joan and Mark Higgins

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.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...er-tagged-selling-goldfish.html#ixzz0jlfDn4Sj

wowzers. She should stop peddling goldfish to children and go straight to hardcore drugs, the penalties might be lighter.

 

[waggy]

haha wow.

 

[bignateyk]

The UK has been setting the trends for nanny state laws in the US for some time now. Look for this to come to California/New York shortly.

 

[mugs]

/facepalm

For a first-time offender that should be a summary offense with a small fine, then work up to misdemeanors with more severe punishments for people who flout the law.

I don't have a problem with prohibiting children from buying pets without their parents, because obviously they're going to need their parents' permission to keep the pet anyway.

 

[edro]

She was used as an example.

 

[darkxshade]

She was used as an example.

That's why they should have executed her instead. It's the only way to be sure. ()

 

[wwswimming]

wowzers. She should stop peddling goldfish to children and go straight to hardcore drugs, the penalties might be lighter.

it's not like the US has less ridiculous laws.

but yeah, this one is pretty ridiculous. one more argument for reducing your taxable income since you have ZERO OBLIGATION to pay for this kind of Soviet-ized, intrusive government.

 

[KMFJD]

DailyMail is fail....there's always more to the story than they let on.

 

[KK]

I wonder what would happen in the grocery store if a kid bought a live lobster.

 

[Mike Gayner]

FFS someone just nuke England from orbit and be done with it already.

 

[WelshBloke]

You really need to stop reading the Daily Mail or learn how they practice 'journalism'.

 

[DrPizza]

UK - bahh hah hahhhhahaha!

Whenever you need something to cheer you up & make you realize how good things are on this side of the pond, all you have to do is read some news from the UK.

 

[akshatp]

If you had done just a little bit of research, you would have found the real story on bbc news. As stated before, the Daily Mail always only tells half the story.

The main reason for the fine was for causing unnecessary suffering to a cockatiel that had a broken leg and an eye problem.

Also, the reason for the sting operation in which the 14 year old was sent in was due to a complaint that the store had previously sold a gerbil to a 14 y.o. with mental issues who subsequently dropped the poor ah heck into a cup of coffee.

When the 14 y.o. bought the goldfish, not only was he not checked for i.d., but was given no information about its care.

Lastly, yes, the electronic tag seems over the top. However, due to her age she is unable to perform community work, so this was a "nicety" by the magistrate as an alternate punishment. How else would they be able to make sure she is home serving her "sentence" at night? I dont think this is unreasonable. (The son who was also charged received 120 hours of community service, no tag)


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/8597762.stm