Public masturbation not a crime declares Italy’s top court

[steve2470]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/09/08/italian_court_case_result/

A 61-year-old Italian convicted of public masturbation has had the threat of hard time lifted, after judges declared the dirty old goat’s favoured pastime isn’t actually a crime in the country.

The case arose after sexagenarian Pietro L was nabbed “pulling his member” and practising “autoeroticism” in front of female students at the University of Catania last May, according to local reports.

He was initially slapped with a three month prison sentence, however, the stint of porridge was converted into a fine of €3,420 (£2,891).

However, Peter L clearly thought his al fresco onanism didn’t merit a fine, and appealed to a higher power, in the form of the country’s Supreme Court. The members of the Supreme Court decided that Pietro L’s activity had actually been decriminalised under 2015’s Legislative Decree 8, though it was still punishable by a fine.

[madinmaryland]

1. That must have been a sticky situation!!

[Laffy Kat]

2. Glad he got off. nt

[jberryhill]

3. It can be a tough charge to beat

[tinrobot]

5. He was facing a stiff sentence

[jberryhill]

6. I see men do this a lot

[tmooreky1977]

4. Masturbation statistics

98% of all human beings masturbate....the other 2% have no arms. But good to know that if I ever feel the urge to box the clown when I'm over there, I have legal precedent on my side lol

[Warren DeMontague]

7. THANK GOD

I mean, that's awful!

[Warren DeMontague]

8. deserves a rec just for "al fresco onanism" alone

so to speak

[mythology]

9. What a vile ruling

People don't deserve to be subjected to garbage like this guy.

[Wounded Bear]

10. How could they cum to that conclusion?

[steve2470]

11. they had to stroke their, um, beards (if male)! nt

[NightWatcher]

12. Peter, threat of hard time, case arose...

Oh to be a newspaper writer when this story exploded on the scene

[Warren DeMontague]

13. it's too bad the vatican doesn't have authority in this case

I bet there's a bishop or two who would be happy to flog the guy