Urinater acquitted for not offending

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STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- A Swedish court acquitted a man on a public urination charge because he took measures not to offend passersby.

The Stockholm court ruled the 45-year-old man, whose name was not released, took proper precautions to protect potential witnesses when he urinated behind a bus shelter and kept his back to the street, The Local reported Monday.

The man had faced a $120 fine, but contested the citation in court.

"There is a ruling with legal force where a man was acquitted for the same reason after having peed behind a container. The court of appeal found then, just as we have, that the intent to offend, or offensiveness in and of itself, was lacking," District Judge Annika Johansson said.

Prosecutor Silvia Ingolfsdottir said the state may appeal the ruling.