Christmas might be known as a time for love, friendship and kindness – but not everyone taps into the spirit of the season.
Below are the people who failed to make the most of the festive period – or perhaps made far too much of it – and ended up spending Yuletide in a cell.
Saddest of all is that most of the mugshots show individuals who have clearly tried their best to enjoy the magical time by dressing up as Santa, elves or by wearing Christmas sweaters.
One fellow even appears to have his excuses prepared, wearing a T-shirt with ‘Dear Santa, let me explain…’ written on the front.
Another person – whether a man or woman it is impossible to tell – can be seen wearing elaborate Grinch makeup.
Among the other gems in the Christmas mugshot catalog is a very disappointed man dressed as an elf, a weeping fellow in a festive sweater and a mall Santa who was arrested for groping his elf.
Christmas might be known as a time for love, friendship and kindness – but not everyone taps into the spirit of the season. This fellow even appears to have his excuses prepared, wearing a T-shirt with ‘Dear Santa, let me explain…’ written on the front. Lenny Lomax was arrested for being drunk in a supermarket
This person – whether a man or woman it is impossible to tell – was arrested while wearing elaborate Grinch makeup. The mugshot also helpfully includes the beast’s profile, the better to appreciate its protruding nose. But it was in fact a joke image put out by Tennessee cops to announce the arrest of someone attempting the ‘theft of Christmas’
This woman, wearing a beautiful Christmas sweater featuring snowflakes and warm festive colours, was arrested for being drunk in public
Saddest of all is that most of the mugshots show individuals who have clearly tried their best to enjoy the magical time by dressing up as Santa, elves or by wearing Christmas sweaters. This elf – otherwise known as Brandon Touchet – was arrested for drunk driving
These appropriately dressed fellows were both arrested on alcohol-related charges. Left is Mike Bussey, the self-professed ‘King of Rock and Roll Debauchery’, who was arrested for illegally selling booze to an undercover officer at his home. Right is Derek Edwards, arrested for drunk driving in Iowa
Anup Mohanty, 18, was nabbed at a rowdy party while rocking a Santa suit. But he still found a way to smirk in the face of the law
Left: Herbert Jones, a shopping mall Santa in Massachusetts, was arrested for groping his 18-year-old elf. Right: A woman in seasonal attire stares glumly at the camera as she is arrested
Joe Barnhart was arrested for drink driving, rather than for crimes against fashion – astonishing, given the enormity of his turtle neck Christmas sweater
Pictured left: Jacqueline S Sallee, who was arrested in Dayton, Ohio for being drunk and disorderly while dressed as Santa. Right: A smiling woman with Christmas-themed hair who was for driving without a license or insurance
This gentleman, who is sporting a seasonal mohawk, was arrested for driving while banned
Pictured left in a stunning Christmas sweater is Tyler Caudill, arrested for driving while drunk in North Carolina. Right: John Scott Hayes, who was arrested in Georgia after getting kids to rearrange reindeer lawn ornaments into ‘sexually suggestive poses’
Mark London was arrested after robbing a Florida bank in a Santa suit (right). Certainly not in the spirit of Kris Kringle