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http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21097583-5001021,00.html?from=news
Joker case thrown out
By Evelyn Yamine
January 22, 2007 12:00
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A MAGISTRATE has ruled the knuckleduster football stunt by The Chaser comic Chas Licciardello was not offensive and has dismissed a case against him.
The TV satirist was hauled into Sutherland Local Court after a prank in which he tried to sell Bulldogs "merchandise" - including knuckle-dusters, flares and balaclavas - to fans at a rugby league match between Canterbury and St George.
Licciardello - from the ABC program The Chaser - was taken away by police outside the Oki Jubilee Stadium last July when irate fans began to argue with him over his stunt. he was charged with offensive conduct.
But magistrate Joanne Keogh today found that although not everybody may have understood the joke, it was not offensive conduct - and threw out the case.
Fifty minutes of the raw footage was played in Sutherland Local Court yesterday, showing Licciardello allegedly trying to sell "official Bulldogs merchandise", including flares, knuckledusters and balaclavas to fans
Police Inspector Darren Schott told the court he stepped in to protect Licciardello from being assaulted.
Insp Schott watched Licciardello - who was working with a crew with about five cameras - for about seven minutes before a group of fans began yelling at him.
"I didn't know it was a comedy sketch ... It wasn't funny in my regard," Insp Schott, who was involved in crowd control at the game, told the court.
But Licciardello still got a laugh out of his performance yesterday, chuckling at times as the footage was played - then making a joke at the expense of Bert Newton's embattled son Mattthew as the hearing ended.
"Look, there's Matthew Newton," he called to media to distract them as he left.
The 29-year-old pleaded not guilty to one charge of offensive conduct.
Joker case thrown out
By Evelyn Yamine
January 22, 2007 12:00
Article from: Font size: + -
Send this article: Print Email
A MAGISTRATE has ruled the knuckleduster football stunt by The Chaser comic Chas Licciardello was not offensive and has dismissed a case against him.
The TV satirist was hauled into Sutherland Local Court after a prank in which he tried to sell Bulldogs "merchandise" - including knuckle-dusters, flares and balaclavas - to fans at a rugby league match between Canterbury and St George.
Licciardello - from the ABC program The Chaser - was taken away by police outside the Oki Jubilee Stadium last July when irate fans began to argue with him over his stunt. he was charged with offensive conduct.
But magistrate Joanne Keogh today found that although not everybody may have understood the joke, it was not offensive conduct - and threw out the case.
Fifty minutes of the raw footage was played in Sutherland Local Court yesterday, showing Licciardello allegedly trying to sell "official Bulldogs merchandise", including flares, knuckledusters and balaclavas to fans
Police Inspector Darren Schott told the court he stepped in to protect Licciardello from being assaulted.
Insp Schott watched Licciardello - who was working with a crew with about five cameras - for about seven minutes before a group of fans began yelling at him.
"I didn't know it was a comedy sketch ... It wasn't funny in my regard," Insp Schott, who was involved in crowd control at the game, told the court.
But Licciardello still got a laugh out of his performance yesterday, chuckling at times as the footage was played - then making a joke at the expense of Bert Newton's embattled son Mattthew as the hearing ended.
"Look, there's Matthew Newton," he called to media to distract them as he left.
The 29-year-old pleaded not guilty to one charge of offensive conduct.
