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Sale of offensive Jesus t-shirts cops fine

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Wed, 15 Feb 2012 1:30p.m.

Police seized the "Vestal Masturbation" tops, from the merchandise range of British metal band Cradle of Filth

Police seized the "Vestal Masturbation" tops, from the merchandise range of British metal band Cradle of Filth

An Invercargill retailer has been fined and ordered to destroy his remaining stock of garments which featured the slogan "Jesus is a c***" and a picture of a semi-naked nun masturbating.

Impuls'd owner Warren Skill, 35, was charged with possessing objectionable material after someone complained to the Internal Affairs Department about people wearing the clothing around Invercargill last year.

Police seized the "Vestal Masturbation" tops, from the merchandise range of British metal band Cradle of Filth.

Skill was fined $500 and an order was made to destroy the eight remaining t-shirts and hoodies when he appeared in Invercargill District Court on Tuesday, the Southland Times reported.

He had earlier said the garments were one of his fastest-selling items and was unaware they were banned.

In 2008, the chief censor banned t-shirts with the same wording, making it illegal to wear it or sell or distribute it after they were deemed to be demeaning and degrading to women and Christians, especially involving a highly offensive word.

NZN
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Comments

16 Feb 2012 12:37a.m.

Kate wrote:

Since when is christianity law? Separation of church and state? Nah, it's cool. We'll just pretend once again that Christian's rights are more important than any others......

15 Feb 2012 09:35p.m.

Ruz wrote:

Although the wording is extreme, I wonder how anybody would find out that the garments (and or wording) had been previously banned by Internal Affairs. It seems that if the retailer had absolutely no idea that possessiion was illegal then perhaps he should have been simply warned and then ordered to destroy the remaining stock. It sounds to me as if he had no intention of breaking the law and that thus should have been taken into account. But then the Judge may have been a practising Christian and therefore personally offended.

15 Feb 2012 02:47p.m.

ivan wrote:

@dan freedom of speech is ok. but not freedom of verbal abuse

15 Feb 2012 02:21p.m.

Dan wrote:

No way freedom of speach gone \m/

15 Feb 2012 02:14p.m.

Noone special wrote:

I think that people should get over, i actually own two of those shirts and people laugh about it.I dont wear them anymore as i have grown up, but its an expression of young minded people. Why not Ban gang patches completely in New Zealand? same thing but much worst as it resembles the person wearing it is a violent person. wear a metal shirt resembles listning to a type of music. i do understand that its offensive to Christians, but take it how you will. Yours Kindly. Me.