Harry says no to drugs

  October 23, 2003 at 2:37 PM ET
  grae     Wizard News (via ic NorthWales)
 


If you happened to visit Jeff Ditchfield's website recently, you may have seen an image of your favorite boy wizard lighting up the wacky tobbacy. But that was before Warner Bros entered the pictureopens in new window.

Mr Ditchfield, who was arrested recently within hours of opening his Beggar's Belief cafe in Rhyl, thought it would be amusing to publish a doctored picture of Harry Potter - dubbed Harry Pothead - smoking a spliff on his website.

Warner Brothers were not amused and threatened legal action for using the picture without permission.

The film company was alerted about the picture by 66-year-old Bernard Hargreaves, of Maud Street, who is a Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator in West Rhyl. The pair have clashed previously over Mr Ditchfield's plans to open the cafe in the resort.

Mr Hargreaves said: "He is my arch-enemy. I don't like what he stands for or the way he pushes his views."

While checking the cafe's website, Mr Hargreaves was surprised to see a picture of Harry Potter. "Harry Potter is a very popular figure and I was concerned that children could easily come across the picture, especially as it was on the worldwide web," he said.

Mr Ditchfield did attempt a compromise with Warner Bros, but to no avail.

"Warner's solicitors threatened legal action. I told them that I had a picture of Bugs Bunny I could use instead but they weren't happy with that either."

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