A Grown Man Was Fined for Pretending to Be a Ghost in a Cemetery
People identify as all sorts of things these days, and one man in Portsmouth pushed that idea into very strange territory. After a long night of drinking, 24-year-old Anthony Stallard stepped into Kingston Cemetery and decided to act like a ghost right there among the headstones. He stretched out his arms, wandered between graves, and let out loud “woooooo” sounds that startled the people nearby.
Witnesses later told police that he wasn’t just joking around. He staggered through the paths, shouting and drawing attention until someone finally called it in. The officers arrived, brought the night to a stop, and the whole episode ended with Stallard facing a fine in court.
The Unplanned Haunting
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According to reports, Stallard and his friends had been drinking before heading to the cemetery, where they played football among the graves and caused a disturbance. His ghost act quickly drew attention for all the wrong reasons. When officers arrived, they found him in full character, pretending to be an apparition in front of startled visitors.
In court, Stallard admitted to using threatening or abusive behavior likely to cause distress. The magistrates fined him £35, along with a £20 victim surcharge and £20 in court costs. He also received an extra three months added to an existing conditional discharge for a prior harassment charge. Although an additional count of criminal damage to gravestones was dismissed, the main offense stood.
A Prank Gone Wrong
Stallard told police it was meant as harmless fun, but authorities disagreed. The cemetery setting, combined with alcohol and shouting, pushed things beyond a joke. What might have been funny among friends ended as a public order offense, proving that ghost impressions are best kept to Halloween parties.
Witnesses described the scene as disruptive, though not aggressive. The real issue was timing and place. Cemeteries are meant for reflection and remembrance, not impromptu comedy acts. The court’s ruling was a lesson for everyone to understand that humor depends heavily on context.
The absurdity of Stallard’s case gained attention online. Many people joked about the fine, calling it the most expensive haunting in history. Social media reactions leaned toward humor, with some admiring his commitment and others claiming the police overreacted.
It’s an odd mix of comedy and consequence for sure. Being fined for pretending to be a ghost sounds like something out of a sketch show rather than an actual court case. That drunken creativity, unfortunately, didn’t end with applause.
A Lighthearted Lesson
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Ultimately, the case became more an example of poor judgment than criminal intent. Stallard didn’t harm anyone, but his choice of stage and audience turned his silly prank into a legal problem. His brief haunting earned him a lasting place in Britain’s collection of unusual crime stories.
There’s no record of him reviving his ghost routine, though if he ever considers another performance, he might want to pick a different setting and keep the “woooooo” to himself.