It’s okay to call a cop a ‘prick’, rules Sydney magistrate
By ANITuesday, May 4, 2010
SYDNEY - A Sydney court magistrate has ruled that the word “prick” is part of the every-day vernacular and has cleared a university student of an offensive language charge.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Waverley Local Court magistrate Robbie Williams made his comments during a hearing for science student Henry Grech, 22, who was charged following a heated argument with Senior Constable Adam Royds at Bondi Junction train station last year.
Williams said he wasn’t satisfied that a “reasonable person” would be offended by the word prick in general conversation.
“I consider the word prick is of a less derogatory nature than other words and it is in common usage in this country,” he said.
Williams said the spectrum of acceptable offensive vocabulary in society was a “moving feast”.
NSW Police Association secretary Peter Remfrey said the legal system should not be making police “second-class citizens”.
“We don’t think it is satisfactory for the courts to sanction this sort of language against police officers,” he said. (ANI)
