Delirious and Indecent Claiming a Bench in Monaco as Home
An obviously homeless individual from a neighbouring Italian province decided that a bench in Monte Carlo would serve him well as “home sweet home”. Except his neighbours did not find him so sweet – especially when he started to foul the pavement and on occasions allow himself to expose himself indecently. The police had interviewed him several times whence he claimed to be a tourist and then subjected them to a constant flow of verbal abuse. His ragged and unkempt appearance gave the lie to his tourism story. Finally he crossed one red line too many with fouling the pavement and exposing himself indecently in sight of the police.
Handcuffed, he was escorted into confinement to await his time in court. His court appearance was a farce. Occasionally cursing, refusing to answer the judge he put the court session into disarray. What to do?
Was he mentally impaired. He was certainly Incoherent, abusive, and at times nonchalant. Clearly a strange individual, if a sad homeless case as well. The Court sought a practical solution and gave him an 8 day suspended prison sentence with an order to leave Monaco and not return. Would you believe that less than a week later back into court came the same bearded disheveled ragged tramp having reclaimed his bench and refouled the pavement and scared passers-by yet again with indecent exposure. This time he risked prison, but oblivious to the risk he was running, he continued to pour abuse on the police officers and the judge. A psychiatric examination revealed dementia and delirium – with the doctors remarking that he had poured copious abuse on them too. He also claimed to have been harassed and abused by the police, and complained bitterly about the food and water he had been provided. Again, what to do? He was vague, incoherent, abusive and anti-social but the Court showed clemency. He was remanded into psychiatric custody for rest until Italian authorities could find a solution to take care of him.
Enraged Motorist Hospitalizes Young Lady With a Punch
Don’t raise your fists and definitely don’t hit anyone. That is the moral the Court expounded in this case. That is not to say that the person hit was blameless. Rather there are better ways of righting a wrong. A young women in her car bumped into a scooter on a street in the middle of the Principality. The scooterist, a man in his 60s, was not thrown off but was enraged at her lack of concern as they exchanged “choice” words. When the young lady drove off without even apologizing he was further enraged. So he raced after her commanding her to stop. She did, opened her window, and the confrontation resumed. There were no witnesses or cameras. The lady’s version of events was that the man, unprovoked, hit her full-on in her face with his clenched fist. His version of the story was she tried to scratch his face and chest through the car window and he just gave her a light back-handed slap.
The Court had to adjudicate on the women’s claim of 2500 euros for physical suffering (supported by a hospital visit for a bruise on her face) 2500 for mental trauma and a request for a fine of 2500 euros. The decision: 1000 euro fine and 1000 euros civil damages. Anger notwithstanding, it would have been wiser (and cheaper!) for the man to have gone to the nearest policemen and filed a complaint. Which is the signal the court sent, frowning on any attempt to resort to violence to solve disputes.
Cocaine Party in Broad Daylight
Monaco courts are severe when it comes to drugs – even for recreational use in small amounts. That’s the message the Principality wants to send. Unfortunate for a young Irish professional and his girlfriend who were caught on camera at the Port snorting cocaine in small amounts. They were celebrating a graduation in broad daylight, oblivious to the law and passers by. The police ran to the scene. In Court, the Prosecutor called for exemplary fines of 1000 euros each. The argument that they bought the drugs in the Principality and did not transport them in did not lesson the eventual penalty. The Court accepted the Prosecution’s request for stiff fines . The message is clear. Don’t come to Monaco to party with drugs.
