Aussie woman fined for touching moviegoer

[aussiewench 9]

Damm I am fabberghasted that one only has to touch someone on the shoulder and shush em cause they are rudely taking a call in a movie theater and one can be arrested for assault *shakes head* "invading her private space" Now thats a turn-up for the books

Aussie woman fined for touching moviegoer

AN Australian woman charged with assault after trying to shush an American moviegoer who was on a mobile phone has been fined $176.

Pauline Clayton was in Texas on holidays when she decided to catch Australian actor Heath Ledger's movie Brokeback Mountain last week.

Halfway through the picture, a woman film patron took a mobile phone call, and began talking.

Annoyed by the disruption, Ms Clayton, a former Sunshine Coast councillor, put her finger to her mouth, signalling to the woman to shush, then touched her on the shoulder twice.

The other woman then stood up and started shouting expletives at Ms Clayton before storming out of the cinema.

Police arrived and escorted Ms Clayton out of the theatre.

The maligned woman told officers Ms Clayton had been "invading her private space" and accused the Australian of assault.

Police subsequently arrested Ms Clayton and charged her with assault.

Ms Clayton was fined $176, the Seven Network reported today.

Seven showed vision of a smiling Ms Clayton leaving what appeared to be a court building but it was unclear whether she had paid the fine.

"If I don't have a traffic violation or touch anyone again in 90 days, there's no conviction," she said.

Source

[Jaylen Brit 0]

Thats madness.

Tapping someone on the shoulder is not assault IMO.

Whacking her hard would be...

And why didnt she counter-sue for the mobile-phone usuer's destroying her enjoyment of the movie? And invading her 'personal aural space with senseless jabber'?

Selfishnesss once again wins the day - the courts should throw these cases out for time wasting.

[aussiewench 9]

Taken from an australian source with a little more detail. Good to see the rude lady got her comeupence too I wanna know though what this damm stupid law is with "invading ones space"

"I put one finger up to my mouth to shoosh her," Ms Clayton said.

"She ignored me - I then leaned across and touched her with three or four fingers on the top of her arm."

When the "very large" woman failed to end her call, Ms Clayton again touched her on the shoulder and that was when the woman exploded.

Ms Clayton said the woman stood up over her, started shouting expletives at her and then stormed out of the cinema, in the town of Webster, just outside Houston.

A short time later two Texas police officers walked into the cinema and escorted Ms Clayton out.

She said the police took her to the food bar and explained that the woman had accused Ms Clayton of "invading her private space". The woman had made a complaint of assault because Ms Clayton had touched her.

"They were very apologetic," Ms Clayton said.

"They were very uncomfortable."

Ms Clayton said the officers had tried to dissuade the woman from making a complaint and had even told the woman that if she did make the complaint, police would charge the woman with disorderly conduct and using a profanity for her outburst in the cinema.

The woman refused to back down and not only was Ms Clayton charged, but the woman is now also due in court after being charged over her behaviour.

Ms Clayton was issued a citation and will appear in a Texas court next week to answer the charge.

With the help of an off-duty police officer who saw the fracas, she is hoping to escape with only a fine.

In the meantime Ms Clayton said she was hoping to get back to see the second half of Brokeback Mountain.

If convicted, Ms Clayton who grew up in Victoria and once worked as a journalist for The Sun newspaper in Brisbane, faces a fine of up to $675.

She said she had been told a conviction would not affect her chances of re-entering the US. Police said it was a "little matter" and they would not be notifying US immigration authorities about any conviction.

[Jaylen Brit 0]

well Im happier now I see the other person is being charged as well then...its still a bit mental tho I hope the court throws out the assault charges

[Jasman0717 9]

[cbd2cai 0]

well Im happier now I see the other person is being charged as well then...its still a bit mental tho I hope the court throws out the assault charges

I hope this is thrown out too . . . . movie theatres always display notices on the screen to be courteous "no talking", "turn off cell phones" . . . I wonder why the manager of the theatre didn't do something???? Maybe that woman's reaction to the "invasion of private space" made everyone leery of getting involved and that's why the police have to settle it.

I really dislike being around people like this who think that the world revolves around them. Talking on a cell phone while the movie is going is so RUDE!!! It is almost as bad being a captive audience to anyone's business on an airplane while they talk on their cell's phones . . . but at least they can't use them YET while the plane is flying . . . and you aren't missing the movie!!

[Fandango 1,439]

These ridiculous charges are what clogs up our courts needlessly.....assault my a$$!

[SOlcayto 0]

Wow, I hope she (the American) gets the same Texas Judge that sentenced that one lady to eating nothing but bread and water for mistreating a horse. Usually, in Texas, when someone does something ridiculous like this, the judge will fine them to the maximum and give them a 30 minute lecture on wasting everyone's time and taxpayer's money, and I mean they are screaming it at them. I hope the American lady gets what she has coming to her. This is just plain crazy.

SOL

[lostinlove228 0]

What a waste of taxpayers money. People are just soooo stupid

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

The woman with the cell phone should have been beaten with her phone and arrested.

[almaty 19]

#######??? australia is getting as back as the usa....

[aussiewench 9]

#######??? australia is getting as back as the usa....

It was in the US........as we say........Only in America

What is this law anyway (invasion of private space) that someone can frivolously use it because someone just touches them to gain their attention.....Can anyone enlighten me as my googling is coming up with little results that connect in the way this was used in this situation.

Edited February 20, 2006 by aussiewench

[almaty 19]

lorelle, i was touched once by a lady in a movie theater..but no one was arrested, did cost me a twenty though..

Edited February 20, 2006 by almaty2004

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

lorelle,

methinks the aussie touvhed more than her shoulders.. she did say the lady was ahem large'.

Daniel

:energetic:

[meauxna 15]

I was *sure* this was a story about L'elle after seeing the Subject line...