Tuesday, March 02, 2010

A Civil Disobedience Salute to Brit Nick Hogan

A British pub owner, Nick Hogan, has the dubious distinction of being both the first individual to be prosecuted, and now jailed, under Britain’s no smoking laws, part of Britain’s Health Act of 2006.

A former pub landlord yesterday became the first person to be jailed in connection with the smoking ban.

Nick Hogan, 43, was sentenced to six months in prison for refusing to pay a fine imposed for flouting the legislation.

Two years ago Hogan, who ran two pubs in Bolton, became the first landlord convicted of breaking the law for allowing his customers to routinely light up in his bars.

Mr. Hogan, after being convicted for allowing individuals freedom of choice in his pubs, rather than forced, meek acquiescence to Britain’s no smoking laws, refused to pay a fine of £3,000 and court imposed costs of £7,236, and thus has landed in jail.

But the married father-of-two refused to pay the fine and yesterday, after repeatedly being hauled back before the courts, a judge sitting at Bolton Crown Court finally lost patience and jailed him.

I salute Nick Hogan and wish him well.

Pub landlord is first person in Britain to be jailed over smoking ban

If you are so inclined, you can make donations to assist Nick Hogan in paying off the State imposed fine and court costs at the blog Old Holburn, whose posted motto is as follows.

You can stick your CCTV, Police State, wheelie bin Stasi, DNA, WMD, “Social Cohesion”, benefits for all, guilty until proved innocent, don’t do that it’s illegal now, can’t say that, ID cards for all, where are you going, what have you been saying/doing/reading?, can’t photograph that, how very dare you, golliwog banning, global warming, we know where you live, we’re watching you Soviet Utopia up your arses. Sideways.

Fine sentiments.

Linked via Tom Palmer.

Posted by John Venlet on 03/02 at 04:37 PM
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