- Target:
- Government, Polititions
- Region:
- United Kingdom
This petition is now closed.
Great Grandma Arrested For Selling a Goldfish
Her offence was to unwittingly sell a goldfish to a 14-year-old boy taking part in a trading standards 'sting'. At most, pet shop owner Joan Higgins, 66, expected a slap on the wrist for breaking new animal welfare laws which ban the sale of pets to under-16s.
Instead, the great-grandmother was taken to court, fined £1,000, placed under curfew - and ordered to wear an electronic tag for two months.
Seven-week curfew: Joan Higgins has to wear an electronic tag
The punishment is normally handed out to violent thugs and repeat offenders. The prosecution of Mrs Higgins and her son Mark is estimated to have cost taxpayers £20,000 and has left her with a criminal record.
Mark, 47, was also fined and ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work in the community. Last night, as an MP criticised the magistrates, Mrs Higgins - who has run the pet shop for 28 years - said the family's eight-month ordeal had left them traumatised.
We the undersigned request the government to have the Tag removed from Joan Higgins who sold a Goldfish to a 14 year old.
It is only right and reasonable that this is done.
The Remove The Tag From The 'Goldfish Granny' petition to Government, Polititions was written by Caroline Morgan and is in the category Civil Rights at GoPetition.