Mrs Ann Townsend of Battersea has been awarded custody of her clothes after a jury found in her favour. The defendent, a white Zanussi ZKG7169 washer dryer, was found guilty on two specimen charges of theft of a dressing gown and asked for a further 299 to be taken into consideration.
The Italian appliance's counsel argued unsuccessfuly that the washer dryer had not intended to permanently deprive Mrs Townsend of her dressing gown, just hang on to it over the weekend forcing her to walk around in a towel. But the judge and jury disagreed.
The washer dryer claimed that it was entitled to custody of the clothes on alternate weekends. But the prosecution was able to show that on many occasions Mrs Townsend was not given access because the white goods refused to let go of the door for up to 8 hours.
Mrs Townsend cited the time when she needed her grey dress to attend a job interview but the slot-in appliance taunted her under the pretext of drying the dress. "I could see it through the glass just being waved from side to side until it was too late for me to get there."
"I let the machine into my home in good faith, hoping it would improve things for me but living with it quickly turned into hell. On Sundays the door would slam and I'd hear that noise which meant my clothes were 'just going for a spin'. A spin that meant I wouldn't see my things for sometimes 3 days," explained Mrs Townsend.
"I'm just grateful this nightmare is over because I want other women to know that if they are after an easier life they should read the small print in the manual, and not be suckered in by a smooth fascia and a grade A economy rating.
The Zanussi has been sentenced to 6 months in Wandsworth prison laundry.
