Читать книгу Odd Laws - Jenny Paschall - Страница 9

Ian Bell, a carpet-fitter from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, claimed in the divorce courts that his wife’s possessiveness was making his life unbearable. He told the court how his wife had made him move house because attractive women lived on the street and forced him into their bedroom whenever neighbours were sunbathing. He also related how he finally lost his temper and threw a plant at her. Bell pleaded guilty to causing his wife actual bodily harm with a rubber plant, but was released after the court was shown photographs of the injuries he sustained from the fight.

The newest problem being dealt with in American divorce courts is custody of the pets. US lawyers are reaping massive fees for dragging domestic animals through America’s courtrooms to decide which party is best for the animal’s interests. The United States Humane Society has warned that the pets may suffer from post-divorce depression. One couple, however, managed to compromise – they decided amicably that neither party was more deserving of custody – so they had their dachshund put down.

Lars Jonsson refused to join his wife in attending a demonstration against domestic violence in Stockholm. His wife, Anne, felt it was only right that she should have her man at her side to show domestic unity – so she tried to convince him to accompany her. Unfortunately, her methods were a little extreme and Lars ended up in hospital with a fractured skull as a result of the beating she gave him.

In Sicily, it was once customary to bite off your spouse’s nose if she was unfaithful.

Sometimes the smallest incident can lead to murder. A Parisian night-watchman, Noel Carriou, broke his wife’s neck because she under-cooked his roast dinner. He served a twelve-year sentence for the crime (possibly the judge shared his passion for good food and felt Monsieur Carriou had some cause for anger). He was released after seven years, and subsequently remarried. Unfortunately wife number two burnt the roast, so Carriou stabbed her. He received an eight-year sentence. Perhaps he should have tried wooing Delia Smith!

Stuart Dingley of Dudley, West Midlands, stabbed his girlfriend to death when she switched off the television during an FA Cup Final replay.

When Mrs Anne Bass, the former wife of a Texas millionaire, was offered a divorce settlement of $535 million, she turned it down. She claimed it was not enough to keep her in the style to which she had become accustomed.

Divorced couples in Vancouver now have the opportunity to remove their exes from their lives forever. Divorce X will remove the image of your former spouse from family photographs and replace it with pleasant scenery. The service costs about $100 per photograph. It is also possible to fill the space with a new lover.

In Saudi Arabia, if a man does not provide his wife with regular amounts of coffee, she can divorce him.

Nina Housden was certainly a cool-headed murderess. She fell asleep in the front seat of her car while it was being repaired in a garage in Toledo – seemingly unconcerned that her husband’s dismembered corpse, wrapped in Christmas paper, was on the back seat. The grisly package was discovered by the mechanic, who called the police. Nina was awoken and arrested.