Disorderly behaviour spoils Barbie screening

Tuesday 12 September 2023

A 34-year-old woman who was “obnoxiously laughing” and swore at others when told to be quiet during a screening of the film 'Barbie' has been fined £700 for disorderly behaviour.

Lina Frimate, who pleaded guilty to the charge, attended the Mallard Cinema on 9 August to watch the film with a friend and “spoke loudly” and “ignored requests to be quiet”, Prosecuting Advocate Phoebe Cobb told the Magistrate’s Court.

She became increasingly animated and swore at other patrons, causing people to struggle to hear the film and upsetting “younger members of the audience”.

The film was paused and Frimate was asked to leave, which she did after initially refusing.

Police met her outside and found her to be intoxicated. She later told them at interview she had not eaten that day, had consumed a large glass of wine, was “tipsy” and in an “excitable mood”. She denied swearing.

Duty Advocate Paul Lockwood said it was Frimates’ first court appearance and offered apologies for the actions.

She admitted being “raucous, excitable, and voluble”, and was “embarrassed to ruin other patrons’ day out”, he added.

Judge Gary Perry, sentencing, accepted the court’s time hadn’t been wasted by the early guilty plea but criticised the “selfish behaviour which this court is seeing all too often”.

He said Frimate needed to take account “of the needs of others” as he handed her a £700 fine as an alternative to 34-days in prison.