In a victory for skaters, hoodies and owners of oversized trousers everywhere, a teenager has won the right to wear his tracksuit bottoms halfway down his backside.
Ellis Drummond, 18, faced an antisocial behaviour order (ASBO) that included a ban on “wearing trousers so low beneath the waistline that members of the public are able to see his underwear”. It also prohibited him from wearing in public any clothing “with the hood up”.
Rather than a victory for skaters, hoodies and owners of oversized trousers everywhere, this is a victory for common sense! The story does not explain how the Fashion Police got to be involved in this case in the first place.
Ellis Drummond was convicted for assault, possession of Class B drugs, and theft. Given the range of available punishments for these criminal offences, I can only wonder why a court decided to impose an ASBO? I don't think justice is served by blurring the anti-social and criminal into one. This has allowed for distraction.
The Times has sunk into the gutter when Rupert Murdoch bought the newspaper. Hence this rent a quote: Alex Deane, director of the civil liberties group Big Brother Watch, said: “The proper punishment for the comically low-riding trousers favoured by some people is that we all think they look like idiots.” According to this extreme-right wing idiot, it is an offence to be different. Big Brother Watch has become Big Brother!
It strikes me that there is more to this story than is actually being reported here. In any event, there does appear to have been an over reaction by the relevant authorities in this case. In other words, an abuse of power. The offender offended against.
Some of the comments following the article point out the absurdity, but then go on to suggest absurd solutions like getting rid of the Human Rights Act. If the magistrates were so easily distracted by the offenders dress code, it begs the question whether they are fit for purpose?
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