personalized shirts: WRANGLE OVER TONY BLAIR T-SHIRT

A BUSINESSMAN has been fined for displaying shirts bearing a rude slogan about the Prime Minister.

Tony Wright (60), of East Farms, Hollow Lane, Burton Lazars, was caught selling shirts with the slogan B*****k* to Blair emblazoned on them at last week's Royal Norfolk Show.
Police told Mr Wright to remove the shirts from display and fined him £80 for causing harassment, alarm and distress.
But Mr Wright, director of clothing company Embassy GB Ltd, said he intends to appeal the fine and clear his name.
He said: "The police told me I was OK to sell the shirts but not to display them. I couldn't believe it when I got my ticket. It made me ill.
"The police said they had received one complaint out of 22,000 visitors. I don't see anything wrong with me expressing my opinion about Blair. It's freedom of speech. I'm going to take my case to magistrates' court. If I lose that I will take it to crown court and then to the European Court if I have to."
Mr Wright said he had been selling the shirts in different parts of the country for four years and had never received a complaint about them.
A Norfolk Police spokesman said officers issued two fixed £80 penalty notices at the Royal Norfolk Show on Thursday in relation to two trade stands displaying T-shirts emblazoned with offensive language.
She added: "The notices were issued under section five of the public order act as the language was deemed to cause harassment, distress or alarm at an event where a cross section of people were present including families and young children who may have found the displays offensive.
"Police did receive a complaint from a member of the public. The police officers in question explained the reasons for their actions to the two individuals concerned.
"Both men now have the right to either pay the penalty or challenge the action before magistrates."





06 July 2006