Church of England priest Rev. Gareth Jones was fined £700 and an additional £520 in additional compensation and charges by Highbury magistrate's court for a pretty unusual set of circumstances.
Well, no, getting wildly drunk and attacking a police officer and a paramedic is - unfortunately - not that unusual. Doing it whilst wearing a clerical frock and claiming you've got diplomatic immunity from the Vatican is unusual. The married father-of-one was found passed out drunk on Charing Cross Road in London's Covent Garden by Ian Pollock, a local paramedic.
When Pollock stirred him, Rev. Jones replied that he was going "to f*ck (him) up." He then attempted to stand, but then kicked Pollock in the legs. Two police officers nearby then helped Pollock subdue the drunken priest, who then claimed he had diplomatic immunity. When asked which embassy, Jones replied, "The Vatican! You're f*cked!"
The two police officers were then forced to tie Rev. Jones' legs together with a strap before he was bundled into a police van and taken to Belgravia police station. Prior to this event, Jones had spent the night in several bars and a nightclub in Soho before passing out.
The priest told officers that he had consumed three bottles of wine, several pints of beer, an unknown of gin and tonics and vodka - close to 53 units of alcohol, in total. Rev. Jones is currently battling alcoholism and is receiving treatment for his condition. The court case also heard that Jones, prior to becoming an ordained priest, was convicted for a number of charges that included affray, possession of cannabis, fraud, criminal damage and driving offences - all before his twenty-first birthday.
Rev. Jones was ordained in 2006, but could now face a lifetime ban from serving as a Church of England minister on foot of his conviction.
Via Guardian.co.uk
