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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Shop's joke billboards cause stir | Shop's joke billboards cause stir |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| A shop owner has said he was threatened with prosecution after displaying joke billboards at his store in Horsham. | A shop owner has said he was threatened with prosecution after displaying joke billboards at his store in Horsham. |
| John O'Sullivan, who owns the Candy Box, put up spoof news headlines outside his store for 10 weeks in an attempt to entertain his customers. | John O'Sullivan, who owns the Candy Box, put up spoof news headlines outside his store for 10 weeks in an attempt to entertain his customers. |
| The spoof headlines included "Crawley Girl Gives Birth to Pitbull" and "Local Youths Abduct UFO". | The spoof headlines included "Crawley Girl Gives Birth to Pitbull" and "Local Youths Abduct UFO". |
| Sussex Police denied he was threatened with arrest but the local council said it had asked him to take one sign down. | Sussex Police denied he was threatened with arrest but the local council said it had asked him to take one sign down. |
| Mr O'Sullivan said: "The policewoman came in and was very strict and said the boards have got to stop. She asked if I realised I could be arrested. | Mr O'Sullivan said: "The policewoman came in and was very strict and said the boards have got to stop. She asked if I realised I could be arrested. |
| "If everyone hated them and thought they were wrong I would stop but people are laughing at them." | "If everyone hated them and thought they were wrong I would stop but people are laughing at them." |
| But the local council said it had asked Mr O'Sullivan to remove one of the posters. | But the local council said it had asked Mr O'Sullivan to remove one of the posters. |
| A spokesman for Horsham District Council said: "We can confirm that the council has received recent complaints about what has been written on the A-board outside the shop. | A spokesman for Horsham District Council said: "We can confirm that the council has received recent complaints about what has been written on the A-board outside the shop. |
| "As a message posted there was considered to be potentially offensive, a street scene officer from the council asked for its removal." | "As a message posted there was considered to be potentially offensive, a street scene officer from the council asked for its removal." |
| The latest sign on display reads "Candy Box Owner Threatened with Arrest over Funny Boards" and Mr O'Sullivan has vowed to continue displaying the tongue-in-cheek adverts. | The latest sign on display reads "Candy Box Owner Threatened with Arrest over Funny Boards" and Mr O'Sullivan has vowed to continue displaying the tongue-in-cheek adverts. |
| Candy Box customer Shirley Arlington said: "It's crazy. John's just having a laugh and he's making other people laugh too." | Candy Box customer Shirley Arlington said: "It's crazy. John's just having a laugh and he's making other people laugh too." |