Inventor: Howard Stapleton
Invention: The Mosquito
Inventor’s location: England

An invention is running into controversy. The Mosquito was invented by Howard Stapleton, of Merthyr Tydfil, after his 14-year-old daughter had to return home without shopping, because of rowdy teenagers. This invention produces noise from its box, which is audible after five to 10 minutes to most teenagers. It has been used to drive gangs away from trouble spots. The Mosquito operates at 85 decibels, and most of those who are over 25 will not be able to hear it, because it operates at a frequency which won’t affect most people who are over 25, because of natural hearing loss. This is what makes it such a clever invention!

Now, Professor Sir Albert Aynsley-Green, who is the Children’s Commissioner for England, wants to ban the Mosquito. He says it infringes the rights of the youth.
He is urging businesses to stop using it. He is also urging children to report if the invention is used against them.
His basic contention is that the Mosquito targets children and the youth indiscriminately, whether they are behaving or misbehaving.

However, the businesses who are using it, are defiant – many of them say they will continue to use the invention, even if it is banned!