[Ammi]

Three men have been charged under a 200-year-old law for taking items of food from a skip behind a branch of Iceland.

The trio were charged under the 1824 Vagrancy Act after being found in "an enclosed area, namely Iceland, for an unlawful purpose, namely stealing food".

One of the three, Paul May, reportedly took some tomatoes, mushrooms and cheese.

According to the Guardian, May will argue he was taking the food because he needed it to eat. He does not believe he has done anything illegal in removing food that was destined for landfill.

May, 35, was arrested on 25 October 2013 along with Jason Chan and William James. All three are residents of a squat in Kentish Town, north London.

They were caught after a member of the public called the police to report three men climbing over a wall at the back of Iceland.

The total value of the items taken allegedly amounted to £33.

Police officers returned the items to the supermarket, while the men were held in a police cell for 19 hours before being released.

Lawyers for the trio have asked the Crown Prosecution Service to consider dropping the case. But the CPS is pressing ahead with the case, as it believes "we feel there is significant public interest in prosecuting these three individuals".



http://news.uk.msn.com/uk/three-char...iceland-store/

[Niamh.]

ridiculous

Of all the places to steal food from. Iceland? Iceland? ICELAND?

It would be like stealing jewellery from Argos.

[smudgie]

What a waste of money taking them to court.

They have saved on landfill space, give them a pat on the back.

Absolute disgrace these supermarkets throwing food away when they could arrange for it to go to food banks at no cost to themselves.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by smudgie

What a waste of money taking them to court.

They have saved on landfill space, give them a pat on the back.

Absolute disgrace these supermarkets throwing food away when they could arrange for it to go to food banks at no cost to themselves.

I think the problem with food that supermarkets are throwing away and giving it to the homeless and people in need is that, the supermarket is then liable if anything happens to those that received the food like food poisoning or whatever? What should happen is that the food could be given away but after that it's not the supermarkets responsibility anymore

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

I think the problem with food that supermarkets are throwing away and giving it to the homeless and people in need is that, the supermarket is then liable if anything happens to those that received the food like food poisoning or whatever? What should happen is that the food could be given away but after that it's not the supermarkets responsibility anymore

..yeah I agree, I think that's the problem ..that they're liable because it'll be out of date stuff..I think maybe also because it was on their premises and it might have been locked..?..because they climbed over the wall to get to the skip, it wasn't on 'public land'...

[lostalex]

Well you can't take things that don't belong to you. That's stealing.

GUILTY.

It's quite simple really, keep your filthy mitts off of other people's property. and yes, as long as it is on their property in the skip, it is still their property.

If you need food that bad, get it on the dole like everyone else. There's no excuse for dumpster diving in the UK when there are so many social welfare programs.

[Nedusa]

First of all the food was in bins and therefore no longer deemed as private property so no theft has occured.

secondly how hungry were these men to even consider eating food from "Iceland" UUrrghh......!!!

These men should be given immediate medical assistance after eating the stuff that passes for food in these stores.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Nedusa

First of all the food was in bins and therefore no longer deemed as private property so no theft has occured.

secondly how hungry were these men to even consider eating food from "Iceland" UUrrghh......!!!

These men should be given immediate medical assistance after eating the stuff that passes for food in these stores.

..it was in a skip, not a bin Nedusa...and in an enclosed area, which they had to climb a wall to get to, so maybe it was 'trespassing'..?...it was an ancient law though..'1824 Vagrancy Act..'...so maybe they were clutching at straws to charge them, I really don't know...it must be a bit worrying for Iceland though, that even free food from them doesn't seem too popular....

[Nedusa]

Originally Posted by Ammi

..it was in a skip, not a bin Nedusa...and in an enclosed area, which they had to climb a wall to get to, so maybe it was 'trespassing'..?...it was an ancient law though..'1824 Vagrancy Act..'...so maybe they were clutching at straws to charge them, I really don't know...it must be a bit worrying for Iceland though, that even free food from them doesn't seem too popular....

OK maybe they were tresspassing but the food was clearly classed as rubbish as it was in a skip so I see no theft here.

To even try and prosecute this in such circumstances particularly as the value (if any ) of this food was so low is in my mind just plain nasty.

I cannot see any Judge,Jury or Magistate finding in favour of the crown in this case.

The men in question will probably become "Cause Celebre's"....!!!!!!

[lostalex]

Why were they eating trash to begin with? that still hasn't been answered in this thread.

Did they make any effort to ask the Owner of the Iceland store if they could have the discarded food? Or did they just try to sneak in as if they had a right?

I worked at a sandwich shop when i was younger, and in the morning all of our left over bread from the day before was picked up by a charity in the morning.

Perhaps if they had just asked this whole thing could have been avoided.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Hell would have to freeze over before i shop in Iceland's Hell store.

[Z]

I know for a fact that my friend's brother lived as a "Freegan" for a week and went around asking supermarkets if he could have food they were chucking out at the end of the day to eat, as he was writing his dissertation and that was part of his research - supermarkets do give out some food to homeless people and people otherwise looking for food if they ask... so I'm assuming the crime lies within the men trespassing and being discovered taking food without asking, or perhaps they asked first, were told no and then tried to take some anyway.

[arista]

This case has been stopped.

Due to media exposure


Ref:
Daily Politics today

[Nedusa]

I heard the 3 men in question were offered free food vouchers from Iceland's Chief Executive Officer by way of apology.

All 3 politely declined the vouchers..................they probably reckon they were lucky not to get food poisoning the first time,

Why tempt fate !!!!

[Kizzy]

They could have accepted the vouchers and donated them themselves to a family in need.
I don't think they should've climbed into a restricted area either, but using that antiquated law?