Hmmm. I wonder if same law could be used to prevent a wife from repeatedly soliciting a 'known IT worker' to perform DIY in public?
Hooker in Dudley man's car 'just helping to buy tomatoes'
Walsall magistrates found themselves strangely unconvinced by a Dudley man's claim that a prostitute found in his car was helping him buy tomatoes. Coppers eyeballed the "known sex worker" in Muhammad Ikhlaq's Nissan Micra in Walsall on 9 May, "apparently waiting for the driver to return from a nearby cash point", as the …
-
Thursday 25th July 2013 21:11 GMT GeekinOrpington
I have no sympathy with soliciting on the streets but shouldn't there have been some actual evidence before this man is fined so much money?
Considering the derisory fines (typically around £100) and sentences for assault and robbery where the victim is often left in fear of walking the streets this seems excessive as there was no victim!
-
Thursday 25th July 2013 23:26 GMT NomNomNom
"Really, there are a lot more important things to worry about in the world than people paying each other for sex."
If the world only consisted of adults you'd have a somewhat valid point. But you are forgetting that our streets and cars are also teeming with children. It is primarily to protect children that prostitution has been historically prohibited (when it has).
But okay it's the 21st century so I am obviously not saying we should stop adults paying for sex outright. Far be it for me to judge what two consenting adults get up to in private (apparently we are not allowed to hold such opinions these days). But nevertheless we do need to highlight such acts for the deviance they are if we are to stand a chance of maintaining the moral compass of wider society in the long term.
I am not a fan of the Nanny state, really I am not, but in cases of moral turpitude sometimes top down enforcement is necessary. I would propose an opt-in policy by which by default any driver picking up a prostitute would face prosecution, irrespective of excuses. Only drivers who had opted in to the prostitution scheme and had the license to show it would be legally permitted to pick up prostitutes. It goes without saying the same drivers wouldn't be allowed near kids. Kids or prostitutes, that would be the choice, you can't have both. That way everyone wins. The kids are kept away from the more sinful side of society, the lower class have their fun and women are "empowered" or whatever the justification for it is these days.
-
Friday 26th July 2013 13:06 GMT phuzz
"It is primarily to protect children that prostitution has been historically prohibited (when it has)."
No. That might well have been the reason given; ("think of the children"), but it was done because society frowns on paying people for sex. Prostitution is not considered a legitimate occupation* so any and all reasons will be given for making it illegal.
That said, if brothels were legal, I suspect the rate of street prostitution would drop.
* except of course that paying for sex is legal in certain circumstances, provided the tax man gets his cut. I'd be interested to know that that tax rate is?
-
Friday 26th July 2013 15:29 GMT Anonymous Coward
re "primarily to protect children that prostitution has been historically prohibited"
Rubbish. It is primarily because of prudery and secondarily because of property values.
In recent times it has also been to protect women from being forced into prostitution, but, in today's Britain, you can be sure that prudery trumps even the better and more valid motives.
-
-
Friday 26th July 2013 09:01 GMT Anonymous Coward
War driving
Posted anonymously for obvious reasons. Some years ago, when war-driving was a bit of a craze, I installed the relevant stuff on my laptop and went for a drive around a large Northern city. "Ping" went the open-network notification. So I pulled over on a deserted street to see what the laptop said (this maybe 12 years ago?).
Within seconds the passenger seat was occupied by one of the oldest profession's followers who took no small amount of convincing that I had NOT stopped for her. Had Mr Plod taken an interest I think it would have sounded odd in court, too.
-
-
Friday 26th July 2013 18:50 GMT Bradley Hardleigh-Hadderchance
Let's face it
We live in an insane age. Interesting times for sure.
Draconian laws against the growing of a single plant. The oldest game on the planet illegal.
Prohibition does not work. It damages individuals and it damages society disproportionately.
In another hundred years, the rate things are going, it will actually be impossible to commit a crime, yet everyone will be a criminal.
When I lived in Kings X. I would regularly see pimps smack their 'bitches' blatantly on the street. A street where very often police would walk up and down. A street with CCTV up the proverbial. I really wanted to say something, but thought better of it. Some of the pimps were 6 foot 8 black men, some were 4 foot 11 Scotsmen. I fancied my chances against neither of them. And what if I had won that particular battle? It was a street I had to walk down every day. I can see why the vigilante sub-genre of film is so poplular. Charles Bronson I am not.
I often wonder what would have happened should one of the policemen see the pimp smacking his 'bitch' up in plain daylight on the Kings X road. Cocked a deaf 'un, I would imagine. This is a street where lone women and children walk down. It was a disgrace.
Prostitution should be legal. In fact, where I used to live - opposite the Magistrate's court in fact, there was a massage parlour with a lot of lovely blonde ladies working there. I would often catch a glimpse of a 'trader' coming out all refreshed and popping off in his 911. This is a hundred yards from the Magistrate's court. I don't even know if that is legal or illegal. Technically there is no law against paying a lady to give you a back rub, but I would imagine there is one for things further on. I never saw it raided.
I will never understand why men pay women for this 'thing'. It is anathema to me. But hey ho. If others wish to partake, then good for them. It certainly would make the streets safer. And less lives would be ruined. I would imagine a wife would 'click' on sooner or later. I can see why she might be a little miffed. But court, fines, criminal records (do you get a criminal record for this?) only add insult to injury.
Make it legal. What the hell, tax it. Safe places for people who consent. And we shall leave the morals of the situation down to the individuals involved. 'Darling, I visited a prostitute today', or even, 'Darling I prostituted myself today'. I hate that word 'prostitute', btw, it is obtuse and callous. I suggest a different name for our ladies of the night - may we call them 'Sisters of mercy'?
For they will never be departed or gone.
Bless their little stocking tops.
-
Saturday 27th July 2013 08:40 GMT Ubermik
This is kind of shocking I suppose that no actual crime was seen to have been happening.
I used to live in balsall heath and was friends (yes ACTUAL friends lol) with several prostitutes and regularly socialised with them went for nights out etc and even dated a few
What this prosecution seems to suggest is that just being in the proximity of a suspected sex worker could see you being prosecuted making it kind of impossible for them to have any friends or social life for fear of this kind of thing happening to their friends if they were ever in their car
I also find it kind of disappointing that the government still pursues prostitution rather than just legalising it though. As the "ruling classes" seem to be the biggest bunch of pervs in the country it seems to be sending out the message that sex on demand isn't for peasants and poor folk, nothing else
And as a trailing thought, its hardly going to be believable that a prostitute would be a likely person to help you choose tomotas
Had be been shopping for plums, a salami, bananas, donuts, chocolate donuts, melons or heck, even a kebab it would have been far more believable
-
Saturday 27th July 2013 09:14 GMT Martin Maloney
A happy ending (for real)
This goes back 40+ years. I was sitting in court, waiting for a friend's case to come up on the docket.
In this city, back then -- and still, from what I understand -- cops cruise by and sollcit street hookers. As soon as the hooker accepts and gets into the cop's car, he flashes his badge and arrests her.
A hooker's case came up. The arresting officer testifed that he pulled up alongside her, yelled out the window, "Where's the action in this town?" She replied, "For $20, I could be the action." "Get in." And then he arrested her.
The hooker's lawyer was sharp. He reviewed the cop's testimony to him, and the cop said, "Yes, that's what happened."
Then the lawyer dropped his bombshell. "At any time, did either of you mention sexual intercourse?"
"Well. er, uh, no," the cop stammered and sputtered.
"Your honor, I move for a dismissal."
And the judge granted it!
This topic is closed for new posts.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
