Goldfish 'Stings'

In America, it's illegal to sell cigarettes or alcohol to minors. In England, it's (also?) illegal to sell goldfish to minors.

Her offence was to unwittingly sell a goldfish to a 14-year-old boy taking part in a trading standards 'sting'.

At most, pet shop owner Joan Higgins, 66, expected a slap on the wrist for breaking new animal welfare laws which ban the sale of pets to under-16s.

Instead, the great-grandmother was taken to court, fined £1,000, placed under curfew - and ordered to wear an electronic tag for two months.

The punishment is normally handed out to violent thugs and repeat offenders.

Wow, they have goldfish stings? It's hard to imagine an entire society where the government treats everyone like a 2-year-old. Alright, maybe 5. Of course, America is on the same path, we just started late.