in 1966 exhibition @ leeds college of art of paintings cyprus-born british artist stass paraskos, entitled lovers , romances, prosecuted city of leeds police , director of public prosecutions under vagrancy acts of 1828 , 1837, , obscene publications act 1959. when exhibition opened allegedly visited local school group, leader of objected image depicting woman masturbating man. exhibition raided police , closed down. despite luminaries of art world speaking in paraskos s defence, including herbert read , norbert lynton, , message of support britain s home secretary roy jenkins, paraskos lost trial , fined twenty-five pounds. case later cited in report of working party convened in 1968, under chairmanship of john montgomerie, arts council of great britain, review obscenity laws in england , wales. in report suggested artist should not have been prosecuted in case, if works of art deemed obscene, not publisher defined obscene publications act.
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