Man gets YouTube ban for posting crimes online

 

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Posted on 22 May 2008 at 11:05

A man who posted videos of himself taking drugs and speeding on YouTube, has been banned from posting any further videos by a court in Leeds.

Dubbed the "world's dumbest criminal" by a Leeds Councillor, Andrew Kellett posted over 80 videos of himself and others engaged in a variety of criminal offences that ran the gamut from petty theft, through drug taking, abusive behaviour and trespassing.

Other offences caught on camera included setting off fireworks in a wheelie bin and refusing to pay a taxi fare.

The offences have earned Kellet, who goes by the moniker mrchimp2007, an interim anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) from Leeds Magistrates' Court, which prevents him posting up any more videos or images of his activities.

The ASBO also means that any repetition of his dangerous driving antics will earn him an immediate jail sentence.

Kellet attempted to argue against the order, claiming he was an innocent bystander recording events and that it restricted his freedom of speech. The court was unsympathetic.

A full hearing will be convened on 15 July.

Curiously, many of the videos are still available on the site and when questioned by PC Pro as to whether they are likely to be pulled following the order, YouTube sent the following statement.

"YouTube has clear policies that prohibit inappropriate content on the site. Our community understands the rules and polices the site for inappropriate material. When users feel content is inappropriate they can flag it and our staff then review it as quickly as possible to see if it violates our Terms of Use. If users repeatedly break these rules we disable their accounts."

Author: Stuart Turton