Photographer prosecuted.. what is the world coming to?

[gotocin]

I've just read this article and I sometimes wonder if common sense is soon going to be illegal as well:

Read the article... (http://www.freshbite.info/fnews_1218085377_10667.htm)

Has anyone seen the film Idiocracy? It's looking more like a documentary every day

[Rhys]

I've just read this article and I sometimes wonder if common sense is soon going to be illegal as well:

Read the article... (http://www.freshbite.info/fnews_1218085377_10667.htm)

Has anyone seen the film Idiocracy? It's looking more like a documentary every day

It's Britain. The place has gone nuts. Why do you think I haven't been back to the UK since 2004?

[K1W1]

A similar thing happened in NSW recently. Ultimately no charges were laid but it created quite a story for a couple of days.

Story here. (http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23745385-5006009,00.html)

[Turn]

I can understand the NSW one..but the guy in England was fine

its people overreacting in my opinion

and there is still a negative opinion towards people with dslrs, if you're a guy with a big black camera walking around the city or beach and taking photos of people then everyone goes err!?

[Rhys]

Yes... And what happens if you have a photo of your 2 year old girl in a bubblebath playing with her yellow rubber ducky? Simple - rather than having the photo in your family album as we have for generations, you get to see her on weekend release from jail.

What we have to do in order to eliminate this kind of stupidity is to use the voting papers at the balot boxes wisely and also to raise a stink by writing to our representatives every time something stupid like this crops up.

[Beowulff]

How is it that after having completely exonerated Marcus Phillips of any unlawful act or impropriety, by stating:

"What is clear is that you had no base motive, no sexual motive and there was not any question of deriving sexual gratification from what you were doing."

And:

"You always acted perfectly properly and their parents were perfectly law-abiding, sensible people who cared for their children."

... the judge (inexplicably) still found it necessary to commit Phillips to 150 hours of community service (as a punishment for a "non-crime"?) and also sling a bit of unnecessary mud (which also sticks) regarding NOT being placed on the sexual offender's register? That's like a headline screaming "Pit Bull Doesn't Maul 3-Year-Old".

This is "justice", from the unpublished Monty Python scripts, I'm thinking?

Cheers :)

[Turn]

I think the stereotypical photographer needs a "new image"

I've said this before but it irks me when I see full grown men wearing shoes and non beach clothing taking photos when everyone else is in their swimwear sunbaking and having fun, kind of has this creepy feel to it

it really stands out..and thats what people think and stereotype when they see photographers (in general)

and with everyone suing and having themselves as a top priority, it only makes it worse

[Rhys]

I just read another article on this ludicrous case which explains what really went on...

Basically, the guy went into a panic and pled guilty in the hope of getting a lesser sentence. He looks to have been very badly advised by his solicitor. I am surprised he pled guilty to such a load of nonsense.

The following article comes from: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2008/08/07/fairy-photo-man-ends-up-in-court-on-child-porn-charges-115875-20686977/

Snapper in court over 'naive' pics of children

A man who ran a business turning photos of children into innocent images of fairies ended up in court on child porn charges.

"Naive" Dr Marcus Phillips was prosecuted even though the parents of two girls aged 10 and 12 asked for the photos to be taken, were present most of the time and had no complaints.

And the judge agreed he acted "perfectly properly" and there was "no sexual motive".

But staff at Bonusprint, where he had the shots developed, reported him to the NSPCC when they saw the pictures, some showing the girls topless.

And prosecutors decided they were level one child porn - the least serious of five - and charged him with making and possessing indecent images.

Father of three Phillips, 38, a tutor at Sheffield University, ran a spare time business turning photos into the "ethereal" fairy images by superimposing pictures on each other. He used professional models and took commissions.

On September 12 police arrived at his home and seized his computer.

Much of his work was found on his website, Sheffield crown court was told.

Phillips pleaded guilty to four charges of making indecent images of children and one of possession.

Judge Lawler QC said: "You always acted perfectly properly and their parents were law abiding, sensible people who cared for their children.

"What is clear is that you had no base motive, no sexual motive and there was not any question of deriving sexual gratification."

He gave Phillips 150 hours' community service but said he will not have to sign the sex offender register.

The Crown Prosecution Service said: "The police passed us a file, we looked at it and decided there was sufficient evidence ... and it was in the public interest.

"He pleaded guilty, thereby admitting he had done something wrong."

Dr Phillips of Fulwood, Sheffield, is believed to be on holiday in France with his family.

But on his website he writes: "After a decade of fairy work I've decided to refocus on nature photography."

[S_p_i_d_e_r]

It looks to me that someone had deliberately destroyed him and/or his business...

[Rhys]

It looks to me that someone had deliberately destroyed him and/or his business...

It looks to me as though he encountered one of those embittered people that have it in for everybody. The kind of people that get real joy out of mindless bureaucracy. He also sounds as though he had a really awful legal representative.

Now you know why I don't take photos of children. I don't want to get problems because of some mindless bureaucrat. To a certain extent you can understand bin Laden when you're faced with nonsense like this!

[cdifoto]

To a certain extent you can understand bin Laden when you're faced with nonsense like this!
Under Islamic Law, men and women aren't even allowed to socialize in public & women are required to cover their faces. You can imagine how creating these types of photos would go over - Bin Laden would have you decapitated.

[Rhys]

Under Islamic Law, men and women aren't even allowed to socialize in public & women are required to cover their faces. You can imagine how creating these types of photos would go over - Bin Laden would have you decapitated.

No. That's an extremist version of Islam. Under real Islamic law, women don't have to wear veils. Photographs of people are allowed. Under perverted Islamic laws you end up with the Taliban.

[cdifoto]

You don't think Bin Laden is an extremist?

[Rhys]

You don't think Bin Laden is an extremist?

Bin Laden is a very interesting figure. Apparently he was pretty normal then went nuts after his brother was killed. Basically bin Laden is a psycho - a bit like Hitler and Stalin.

[Turn]

come on guys no more about Bin Laden or Hitler or anything, its not relevant to the thread...

[cdifoto]

It's more relevant than you realize, turn. "The world" isn't just the US, UK, and Australia...

[fionndruinne]

All these activists and lawmakers think they're pretty special for taking the hard line and all, but you'll notice they don't seem to have a problem with all the sleaziness that goes on inside the mess known as the public school system. As long at it's all among minors, it's somehow alright, and doesn't cause the same kind of problems?

Sorry, just a pet peeve escaping there.