Strange stories: Preschool terror ‘threat’ and rodent confusion
Pet owners claim rabbit is a guinea pig
The Queensland owners of an rabbit have tried to convince police their pet is a guinea pig in an unsuccessful attempt to keep the illegal animal. Rabbits are considered pests in Queensland and may not be kept as pets without authorisation, so police were surprised to find the animal in a caravan near Brisbane. The rabbit has now been moved to a sanctuary south of the state’s border. Read more
Preschooler’s cucumber drawing raises radicalisation fears
A British nursery has allegedly suggested putting a four-year-old through a counter-terrorism program after he apparently mispronounced ‘cucumber’ as ‘cooker bomb’ and drew a picture of a man with a cutting knife. The boy’s mother has said she was scared her son would be taken away from her over the matter, which was referred to police and social services. They declined to take any action on the case. Read more
Airport receives 6500 complaints from single person
Officials from Washington’s Reagan National Airport say they received 8,670 noise complaints from nearby residents last year, and 6500 of them were from just one person. The unidentified serial complainer would have to lodge around 18 complaints a day to achieve such a number. Members of a local resident lobby group are worried the news could distract from their own efforts to raise awareness of the airport’s disruptive noise levels. Read more
Convict sings Adele inspired apology to judge
Those present in Washtenaw County Trial Court witnessed a surprise musical performance from a convicted felon. Michigan man Brian Earl Taylor, 21, sang a soulful apology to the judge, the victims of the case, and his mother, to the tune of popular track ‘Hello’ by British singer Adele. But in the words of Adele herself, ‘it don’t matter’. Taylor was sentenced to two years imprisonment for carrying a concealed weapon, and 18 months to 15 years for unlawful imprisonment. Read more
World’s first three–piece tweed suit for a horse
Veteran racehorse Morestead stole the race day fashion spotlight at this weeks Cheltenham Festival, stepping out in the world’s first tweed horse suit. Morestead debuted alongside a former champion jockey Sir Anthony McCoy, looking dapper in a matching get up, including caps. The three–piece ensemble was designed by tweed tailor Emma Sandham-King and was commissioned to celebrate the four day event. Read more