Possession of a Prohibited Rug

Working in criminal law is often depressing for a whole range of reasons, but every now and then there is a chance for a chuckle. A colleague of mine recently found a Court Attendance Notice (the thing police use to charge people with specific offences) for a charge of “possession of a prohibited rug”. The charge read that so and so on such and such date at main street anytown “did have in his possession a prohibited rug, namely 46 grams of cannabis”.

I knew they made clothes out of it, but it seems they have now moved on to the supply, cultivation and manufacture of rugs. So you heard it here first, and you will now know what the authorities are up to this Christmas, if you see the following signs all around Sydney:

“Police are now targeting carpets, mats, runners and other assorted floor coverings”