When it comes to decorating the outside of your house for the Christmas season, most of us play it safe by draping a few fairy lights off the front gutter. Little hassle, but enough to show the neighbours that you’re getting into the spirit of things.
There are others, however, who take things too far – coating the outside of their house with so many flashing lights it can probably be seen from space. You know, this kind of thing…
But while such OTT displays aren’t great for the leccy bill (or any neighbours with photosensitive epilepsy), they’re unlikely to get anyone in trouble with the police.
The same can’t be said for one man in Blackpool who, according to the Metro, became the first person to be arrested over an offensive Christmas lights display.
Having arranged some of the lights on the front of his house into the shape of a penis, he used others to spell ‘c***’, later changing this to the outline of a bell followed by the word ‘end’.
The following video appears to show a conversation between the man – named as Steve McGawley – and police officers which presumably took place prior to his arrest.
WARNING: Contains strong language
Watch the moment the police ask Steve McGawley to take down his Christmas lights.https://t.co/y4jstlW4oq pic.twitter.com/M76w1VDGXm— Blackpool Gazette (@The_Gazette) December 21, 2016
A Lancashire police spokesperson said: ‘On Monday, December 19, officers attended an address on Rodwell Walk following a number of complaints in relation to fairy lights on the outside of the house.
‘Despite attempts to engage with the occupant the lights were not taken down and a 43-year-old man from Blackpool was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence and issued with a penalty notice for disorder.’
Fortunately, it seems the man responsible has now realised that he was in the wrong.
Catch up with this week’s episode of Football Friday Live:
