And finally… praise the lord

A judge in Ohio has spared a Catholic man from jail, ordering him to attend Baptist church services for twelve weeks instead.

Judge William Mallory handed out his divine sentence to Jake Strotman, 23, who admitted brawling with Baptist street preachers.

Strotman told the court that he was under the influence of alcohol when a fight broke out with preachers who said he was going to hell, The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

He was warned that he could face 90 days in jail, but Judge Mallory opted for the unorthodox penance instead.

During proceedings, the judge told street preacher Joshua Johnson that he admired his work as he too is a religious man.

This prompted Strotman to intervene: “Your Honour, if I may, I would be more than happy to serve a church of your choosing.”

And the judge replied: “Time out. We may have an answer here.”

  • Contributions from ILN readers to our “And finally” section are welcome – they should be sent to: newsdesk@irishlegal.com
  • Share icon
    Share this article: