35-Year-Old CRADLE OF FILTH Fan Cries In Court, Is Told To 'Grow Up'

Norfolk Eastern Daily Press is reporting that a British man who wore a heavy metal band T-shirt bearing a sacrilegious slogan today (March 11) cried in court as a judge allowed him to walk free but told him to "grow up."

Dale Wilson, of Northfields, Norwich, was arrested on Halloween by two police officers in The Avenues as he walked to a local shop wearing a T-shirt promoting Ipswich band CRADLE OF FILTH.

The front of the T-shirt showed a sexual image of a nun and an offensive reference to Jesus ("Jesus Is A Cunt") was written across the back.

Wilson, who pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to religiously aggravated offensive conduct and carrying a knife, was given a complete discharge after Norwich Crown Court heard the unemployed 35-year-old had been distressed by the proceedings.

Prosecutor Stephen Poole said: "Wilson was walking along The Avenues and looked somewhat agitated by the presence of a marked police car. They stopped him and found a knife in his pocket and became aware of the offensive T-shirt."

Michael Clare told the court in mitigation that Wilson "appears in court as something of a mess and has learnt his lesson in having to come here."

Judge Roderick Newton described Wilson's action as "wholly unacceptable" adding: "It simply won't do, wearing a T-shirt which would be offensive to anyone regardless of whether or not they are religious.

"But I can see you have learnt your lesson and will take an extremely unusual course of action by discharging you. Don't do it again — you must grow up."

Wilson, who has previous convictions including drug and dishonesty offences, was ordered to pay £150 costs (approximately $290).

The judge ordered the destruction of the T-shirt and knife.