Non-pornographic image "still not porn" - official

The Crown Prosecution Service have sighed a deep sigh and explained, patiently, that - since Elton John's Nan Goldin wasn't indecent in 2001, it wouldn't be indecent in 2007, either.

Kerrie Bell, head of the CPS Northumbria South Unit, said:

"Even if the photograph was now considered to be indecent, a defendant would be able to raise a legitimate defence, given that the photograph was distributed for the purposes of display in a contemporary art gallery after having been deemed not to be indecent by the earlier investigation.

"Accordingly, I am of the opinion that the evidence is insufficient to justify proceedings for offences of possession or distribution of an indecent photograph."

It is, of course, cheering to discover there's so little real crime in Nothumbria that the police have time to go round raiding art galleries displaying pictures that have previously been declared fine by the CPS.