Pranks. You either love them or hate them. But as with many things in life, pranking has its limits. It’s safe to say that playing practical jokes should never cause physical or emotional harm to anyone. The point, after all, is to elicit a good giggle. Not pain.
A 22-year-old guy learned the hard way when the prank he played on his brother’s girlfriend backfired in spectacular fashion. He’d tried to scare her in her sleep but instead ended up being the terrified one when she retaliated in self-defence. The entire situation has escalated to the point where police are involved, the family is feuding, and the girlfriend is considering leaving the relationship. Her boyfriend is caught in the middle and is seeking advice.
The younger of these two brothers has always loved a good prank
Image credits: Lesli Whitecotton / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
But when he took it too far with his sibling’s girlfriend, he wasn’t quite expecting the backlash that followed
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Yogendra Singh / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Mariela Ferbo / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: ThrowRA_Utonium
Don’t be fooled, a bad prank can land you behind bars
North Idaho Law Group warns that seemingly innocent pranks can leave you with a criminal record. And the courts might not find your practical jokes funny at all. Among the pranks to steer clear of is anything that involves fake kidnapping. “Staging an abduction can result in false reporting charges and create unnecessary panic among witnesses,” cautions the firm.
Tampering with food or drinks can also land you in hot water. You could face assault charges for adding substances to food or drinks, even as a joke. And the charges might be more severe if the person you’re pranking ends up getting sick or dying.
Break, vandalize, or deface property as part of a prank at your own peril. If the police are called, you might need to answer in court, pay damages, and face punishment.
It is also illegal to involve emergency response services in your practical jokes. “False 911 calls or ‘swatting’ pranks face serious criminal penalties,” cautions the law group. The same goes for impersonation pranks. Pretending to be law enforcement or other officials is a criminal offense that isn’t taken lightly.
“The line between playful and problematic often comes down to two things: intent and impact,” warns another law firm, Brockton D. Hunter P.A. “You may not have meant to cause harm, but if the other person feels threatened, endangered, or suffers damage to property or reputation, the law might not be on your side.”
The experts stress that criminal law doesn’t care about your sense of humor. It cares about what actually happened and how it affected others. “In some cases, your joke’ might fit the legal definition of a crime—especially if it causes fear, injury, deception, or loss,” reads the firm’s site.
The guy’s brother, too, was playing with legal fire. Unwanted physical contact or scaring people is no joke.
“Jump scares may be a classic, but if someone is injured or emotionally shaken by it (especially if they have a medical condition), the prank could lead to assault charges or civil lawsuits.”
Legal experts say the seriousness of the charges often depends on who was affected, how the prank played out, and whether someone was hurt physically, emotionally, or financially. Their advice is to err on the side of caution and don’t play pranks that could harm anyone in any way.
Many agreed that the brother was way out of line, immature at best, creepy at worst
The guy provided an extensive update detailing how things had blown up
Image credits: Timur Weber / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Kindel Media / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Maria Pashkova / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Alaksiej Čarankievič / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: ThrowRA_Utonium
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