In what surely must rank as one of the most significant news stories of the third millennium, a naughty goat who was fined hundreds of pounds for eating flowers has been let of the hook.
Gary the Goat, a goat (obviously) living in Sydney, Australia, was initially given the fine for snacking on a flowerbed outside the Museum of Contemporary Art in August. His owner, comedian Jimbo Bazoobi, was initially to pay the $440 (£293) fine, as Gary lacks a bank account and has difficulty signing a cheque with his goaty hooves.
Wait, do goats have hooves?
Yes, I have checked. Goats definitely have hooves. Back to the story.
The fine was initially issued to Jimbo and Gary because the owner was said to have 'acted recklessly' in allowing Gary to wander over the the carefully-planted blooms. But the magistrate Carolyn Barkell was on hand to restore justice to the world, telling the court that Jimbo had no way of knowing that Gary would choose to chow down on the pretty flowers instead of simply snacking on the nearby grass.
Jimbo chose to use his closing statement to offer a revolutionary soundbite: "Gary's name has been cleared of all this slander," he said. "He was simply eating and I want to thank everyone for coming down here.
"Gary the goat taught the cops a valuable lesson today, don't bite off more than you can chew."
Image: Sky News
