

Man Charged in UK over Facebook Joke - mike-cardwell
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-19863228

======
adrianhoward
The word "joke" appeared nowhere in the title or story.

He's being prosecuted under section 127 of the Communications act:

"The Communications Act 2003 section 127 covers the sending of improper
messages. Section 127(1)(a) relates to a message etc that is grossly offensive
or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character and should be used for
indecent phone calls and emails. Section 127(2) targets false messages and
persistent misuse intended to cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless
anxiety; it includes somebody who persistently makes silent phone calls
(usually covered with only one information because the gravamen is one of
persistently telephoning rendering separate charges for each call
unnecessary). [...] Section 127 can be used as an alternative offence to such
crimes for example as hate crime (including race, religion, disability,
homophobic, sexual orientation, and transphobic crime), hacking offences,
cyber bullying, cyber stalking, amongst others.

"

[http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/a_to_c/communications_offences/#...](http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/a_to_c/communications_offences/#an11)

~~~
mike-cardwell
Ok. Here's another article about it where "joke" is used:

[http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/april-jones-man-
charged...](http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/april-jones-man-charged-
over-1365779)

------
mike-cardwell
A number of places on the Internet are _claiming_ that the joke was:

    
    
      What's the difference between Mark Bridger and Santa Claus?
    

I'm not going to repeat the punchline as I'm British and don't want to go to
jail. Google is your friend.

------
mike-cardwell
Appears it has already been on Reddit too:

[http://www.reddit.com/r/unitedkingdom/comments/113585/man_ch...](http://www.reddit.com/r/unitedkingdom/comments/113585/man_charged_over_grossly_offensive_april_jones/)

------
lewisflude
Not sure I see anything wrong about this...

~~~
mike-cardwell
This sounds like you are literally unable to identify the controversy... Is
that the case? Or is it that you think it's totally appropriate to arrest
somebody for making a crude joke which some people find offensive?

~~~
lewisflude
I meant that I can't see anything wrong with the joke. :)

