We call it antisocial behaviour, TikTok morons like Mizzy say it’s ‘fun’
AS actions go, they are not particularly amusing.
It’s hard to raise a smile at the thought of someone entering a family home, speeding through the aisles of Sainsbury’s on an e-bike or taking the dog of a poor elderly woman.
But these are just some of the “pranks” cooked up by TikTok teen Mizzy — real name Bacari-Bronze O’Garro — who found himself in court this week over his idiotic videos.
The truth is that the 18-year-old’s behaviour is far from funny — it’s scary and stupid.
And yet he was given little more than a slap on the wrist for his crimes: A mere £365 fine and a two-year criminal behaviour order.
He later boasted that “UK laws are weak”. And unfortunately, I am inclined to agree with him.
While he is clearly no master criminal, these offences are, at best, a horrible disturbance and, at worst, utterly terrifying for those people involved.
Seeing a stranger stroll right into your home as though he has every right to be there will be a heart-stopping moment for anyone.
And it doesn’t matter if he later declares something is a “joke”.
In the heat of the moment that is not clear and his behaviour is antisocial and unacceptable. It’s also dangerous.
When threatened in such a way, who knows how someone is going to react?
But surely the horror inflicted on these families is equivalent to more than a few hundred quid.
Yet it seems as if O’Garro has been let off lightly because his crimes were committed in the name of entertainment.
If he had carried out these offences — some of which are fairly serious — without his mobile camera rolling, would he have been let off so easily? I’m not so sure.
There’s also been deafening silence from TikTok, who seem more than happy to let this gurning mayhem-merchant on their site.
After documenting the acts that have turned him into a convicted criminal on their app, surely he should be banned for life.
I imagine that would be a bigger deterrent than any fine.
Because this young man has shown no remorse.
A court order he was given on Wednesday states he must not post videos on social media without permission of those appearing in it.
Yet he allegedly uploaded more “pranks” the following day — and on Friday he was arrested on suspicion of breaching the order.
In a TalkTV interview with Piers Morgan, he bragged: “I am legally an adult now, so I can do what I want.”
When he was questioned about terrorising his local community, he replied: “I wouldn’t really call it terrorising, I’ll just call it more having fun.”
And therein lies the problem. We see an antisocial menace.
He sees a fun time.
You might dismiss this behaviour as a bit of teenage mucking about.
But I think this is symptomatic of something bigger.
In this age of social media, the wider public are now increasingly being treated as “extras”.
The public are the collateral damage for vapid social media stars who are so attached to their screens they have forgotten what it is like to live in the real world.
Look at the actions of Just Stop Oil.
Last week, three protesters climbed over the fences of one of the show gardens at Chelsea and threw orange powder over it.
It was in a bid to raise awareness about climate change, and all while they were being filmed on the sidelines by a conspirator.
It was the latest in a long list of high-profile protests seemingly designed by the group to inconvenience everyday life as much as possible to create the perfect video for social media.
It all makes me slightly despair about what happened to our sense of community.
It’s easy to feel like social media is turning us into a nation of egomaniacs with no consideration for others.
Cycle stance is fair
TRANS cyclist Emily Bridges has launched a scathing attack on British Cycling, accusing it of, er, “genocide”.
After it took the decision to permanently ban trans women from racing against biological females, Emily accused the body of committing a “violent act” and described it as a “failed organisation”.
Well, I disagree.
I can see how frustrating it is for an athlete who has spent their life training to compete in their field only to be told that they are no longer eligible to do so.
But anyone who has gone through male puberty has a physical advantage over someone who has not.
And Emily can still compete if she wishes.
British Cycling will change its current men’s section to an “open” category, where transgender women can compete against other male-born riders.
It’s perhaps not an ideal solution – but when conflicting rights butt heads, then compromise is needed.
Hero’s fitting finale
FLIGHT Sergeant Peter Brown was given a hero’s send-off at St Clement Danes Church on The Strand in London on Thursday.
The central church of the RAF was packed with 600 mourners who paid their respects to the World War Two hero.
Flt Sgt Brown died alone aged 96 and had no known family, so neighbours wanted to organise a funeral that befitted the service he had given to his country.
They raised awareness of the man and his duty and it received an incredible response – and rightly so!
We are all here due to the sacrifices made by people like Flt Sgt Brown and I, for one, am eternally grateful.
He was shown the respect he deserved. Rest In Peace.
What a blow
EXPERTS now believe AI technology will lead to more reliable weather predictions.
But this could be a disaster for the great British institution of weather forecasters such as the late Ian McCaskill.
They may not always be on the money. But they do provide great entertainment.
Sharon’s bikini snap so inspiring
WHO could blame Sharon Stone for posting that extraordinarily glamorous bikini picture on Instagram?
If I looked as good as the Basic Instinct star does in that teeny weeny Dolce & Gabbana bikini at 65, I would do the same thing.
Sharon looked a million dollars as she posed in one of the rooms at her Beverly Hills mansion, bought with the proceeds of her extremely successful acting career. Frankly, she is living her best life.
In our sixth decade, most of us wouldn’t dare to wear a bikini in the privacy of our own back garden, let alone post a snap of us in it on social media.
But Sharon looks absolutely great and is an inspiration to us all – as well as a reminder of how wonderful you can look at any age if you take good care of yourself.
A test of any angel
I ALWAYS loved Escape To The Chateau, the TV show about a couple who left the UK to renovate a massive pad in France and turned it into a hotel and wedding venue.
The pair, Angel Adoree and Dick Strawbridge, could turn their hand to anything.
She once used old magazine covers she found in the attic as wallpaper for a downstairs toilet.
It should have been terrible but it actually looked impressive.
And Dick, well, he fixed everything from roofs to wiring.
But perhaps it’s not la belle vie after all . . .
The Channel 4 show was cancelled last year but recently it emerged that concerns were raised with the broadcaster about the couple’s conduct.
And a tape was leaked online of Angel appearing to launch into a “foul- mouthed rant” at a producer.
Angel can be heard calling one member of the film crew a “f***d up little c”.
If that tape is legitimate, then that’s truly unacceptable behaviour.
But it’s hardly surprising they were grumpy, is it?
Moving to a different country, renovating a dilapidated property, all while raising two children, sounds rather stressful.
And that’s before the added pressure of making a TV show at the same time.
As someone with a bit of experience in this area, I think the motto of making TV should be “hurry up and wait”.
To make a TV show you need the patience of a saint – which clearly neither of these two possess.