Oriel College Bans Graduate Prankster
A former Oriel student has been banned from college property and heavily fined after a prank backfired. A German tourist and his sister were drenched after history graduate David Vaiani threw water from a college window, causing £250 worth of damage to their camera. Reports differ as to whether the act was intentional, with Oriel students claiming he aimed for a friend and missed, while college authorities maintain it was a deliberate action.
Vaiani defended himself, saying: “There was no malice involved. I had no idea who they were - but they were as good a target as any.” Dean of Oriel Dr James Methven described how upset the two victims, who do not wish to be named, had been by the whole incident. He said the woman hit by the water was so badly affected that she was too frightened to answer her telephone that night.
When the incident was reported to the lodge, the pair said they intended to report the incident to the police, however they have since changed their mind. Vaiani, who had just been allowed to return to college after a previous ban for throwing food around hall, told The Oxford Student that while he accepted the punishment, he felt that it was “totally disproportionate to my actions.”
“In my view, it is in keeping with the trend that is taking hold of the university, namely to stamp out any sense of fun in the name of not offending anyone.
5th May 2005