Woman hauled to court & faced jail over rude bumper sticker on her car… even though ‘everyone thinks it's funny'
A WOMAN was shocked when she was hauled to court over her "offensive" car bumper sticker.
Georgia Venables was pulled over by the police and charged for having a bumper sticker which read: "don't be a c***".
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The 29-year-old placed the X-rated sticker on the back of her dark blue Peugeot 108 along with dozens of other stickers to customise it.
However she was pulled over by a police officer earlier this year who stated the sticker bearing the word "c***" could cause "offence".
She was summonsed to appear before Chester Magistrates' Court where she pleaded not guilty to displaying threatening/abusive writing/sign/visible representation likely to cause harassment/alarm/distress.
She was released on unconditional bail and told she was due to stand trial on Thursday, May 29.
However Georgia revealed the case has now been dropped, much to her relief.
She said: "I was told that the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case as they didn't think there was a realistic prospect of conviction.
"I am so relieved. I've been stopped over a previous sticker in the past and the officer asked me to remove it - which I did.
"But this time, I was stopped for no reason and told that I was going to be summoned to court. It was the same officer both times."
Georgia, from Handbridge, Cheshire, has spent £80 customising her car with over 40 "rogue" stickers over the past two years including Donald Duck raising his middle finger.
Others read "sh** box certified" and and image of Yoda next to the words "If my driving offends you F off".
Georgia said: "I put them on as I liked how they looked - I never put them on to offend anyone.
"It gave my car a bit of personality and humour."
She has told how her neighbours and work colleagues never had an issue with them, branding it "funny".
She said: "I once had an old man outside a supermarket standing reading them and chuckling.
"He said I had a good sense of humour."
Georgia said she has been pulled over regarding her stickers five times - each time it was because they included a swear word.
But since her latest went to court she has revealed how the upcoming trial impacted her work as she had to inform HR.
Georgia allegedly breached a public order offence which has a maximum sentence of six months imprisonment alongside an unlimited fine.
She said: "It wasn't a nice thing to go through. I feel that I was targeted because this same officer has pulled me over a few times.
"I always removed them when I was told too.
"I have made a complaint against a different officer in the past, but nothing happened so this time, I left it.
"I just want the police to leave me alone so I can go about my life because I do like to go for a night drive.
"It's the freedom that helps my mental health, but the police pull me over and it's happened so many times that they know me by my first name.
"From October to January, I was getting stopped twice a week but since I was put on bail for this court appearance, they haven't stopped me once which is I think is very strange.
"I would like to thank people who have given me support but I just want to put it behind me now."
A Cheshire Police spokesman said: "We can't comment on individual cases.
"However we can reassure residents that all stop checks are conducted fairly, responsibly, with respect for people being searched and without unlawful discrimination.
"All checks are also conducted in line with the national guidance."
A Crown Prosecution Service spokesperson said: 'After a further review of the evidence we decided this case did not meet our threshold for prosecution and it was discontinued at an early stage.'
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