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The Bare Necessities: English Man Faces Life In Jail Over Nudist Conduct

Stephen Gough, 50, is presenting something of a dilemma for English police. Gough likes to go out in the buff and refuses to wear clothing. As a result, when he is released for walking around naked, he promptly strips and is promptly re-arrested. The result appears a vicious loop where Gough could spend the rest of his days in jail.

He was jailed for 21 months after being arrested for breaching the peace and being in contempt of court. The former Royal Marine refused to be released if it meant getting dressed.

The result has been that he had spent much of his last seven years behind bars.

Gough told Perth Sheriff Court he accepted it was “potentially” the case that he could remain in jail forever – apart from the few seconds of freedom as he stripped outside of the police station.

May I make a small suggestion from this side of the pond? Put Gough into a police van inside of the police department and cover the windows to avoid appearing naked in public. Then drive him to a nudist colony to work and live in the buff. At the savings to the legal system, the state could subsidize the work program.

For the full story, click here.

16 thoughts on “The Bare Necessities: English Man Faces Life In Jail Over Nudist Conduct”

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  5. Does he at least get to stay naked in prison? Seriously, the guy is sick and they should leave him alone if he is not doing any harm. Children can be traumatized by someone’s flashing them, but not by his merely walking around naked. To let him be does not mean legalizing public nudity; it just means using prosecutorial discretion in this one case.

  6. Sorta’ on topic as it deald with nudity but not really on point, interesting though:

    “Shah Rukh signs off sexy body-scan printouts at Heathrow ”

    “London, Feb 6 (IANS) Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan isn’t intimidated by the full body-scan machines that have been recently installed at London’s airports – in fact, he’s been signing off printouts of his X-rays.”

    —-This caught my eye because we are being told that the images are not stored, and privacy is protected in that only one person would be at the terminal that displays the scans and of course, no scans would be printed or passed around as has happened with x-rated telephone conversations being compiled and passed around in the various intelligence community here.

    Britain has now installed these scanners and if you don’t choose to be scanned you won’t be allowed to fly. The scans will include children, the elderly, handicapped, everybody. The government had to tap-dance around child porn laws to implement their scan protocol regarding kids.

    So here’s the part of the story that caught my eye:

    “‘I was in London recently going through the airport and these new machines have come up, the body scans. You’ve got to see them. It makes you embarrassed – if you’re not well endowed.

    ‘You walk into the machine and everything – the whole outline of your body – comes out.’ …

    … ‘Then I saw these girls – they had these printouts. I looked at them. I thought they were some forms you had to fill. I said ‘give them to me’ – and you could see everything inside. So I autographed them for them.”

    —-The story is written from an entertainment news POV so no real reporting was done but ‘what girls’, were they security workers, how did they get printouts, what were the regs on that, who gave them the printouts, etc.etc. The story indicates they were printouts of HIS scan.

    If this isn’t a hoax- and it could be- there’s obviously a breakdown in the ‘privacy’ aspect of the scan protocols in Britain in like, 4 days after they went on-line. If this story isn’t a hoax it does not bode well for air travelers.

    http://in.news.yahoo.com/43/20100206/908/ten-shah-rukh-signs-off-sexy-body-scan-p.html

  8. Well at least he was not in a S car. Because if he was then, it would be the S-Car Gough by the Sea.

  9. AY–

    Always there with a pun! My guess is that if most women saw this man walking toward them on the streets of Perth, they’d turn around and Gough the other way.

    Nudity Rule #1: One should be buff if one wants to parade around in the buff.

    Has anyone thought of giving this man a psychological evaluation?

  11. Why is it that the people you least want to see naked insist on going out in public naked?

  13. Born.

    Naked.

    I really fail to see why any culture objects to the practice of nudism. It’s a choice. If you don’t want to walk around naked, don’t. I remain clothed in public at all times except when prompted by tequila but you can’t go by me. That’s my choice. How does another person’s decision to go nude (an assumed risk as clothing is primarily protective) affect you other than perhaps in a aesthetic offense? Not a bit. You have the right to ignore them. You even have the right to laugh. But let’s focus on the issue – Naked is a state, not a behavior. If he’s naked and misbehaving? Arrest him. But if he’s just naked and shopping? Giggle and get over it.

    Maybe it’s a conspiracy by the clothing industry! Muahahahaha!

    Must.

    Fill.

    Pockets! *gasp*

    You know, it’s sometimes hard to believe that England was one of the European countries to give the Puritans the boot for being uptight pains in the ass.

  14. No surprise that he’s an ex-Marine – it’s bloody cold over here for most of the time I can tell you!
    Complete waste of tax payers money.

  15. Hi Jonathan,

    That’s funny! Talk about a waste of taxpayer’s money – I couldn’t agree more! But are there even nudist colonies in Britain? Maybe just drive him to the seaside where it might be a bit more acceptable!

    Cheers,

    Julie
    http://julie281182.wordpress.com

    P.S His photo from the BBC link looks strangely like a young George Harrison, don’t you think?

  16. Professor,

    If per chance they did as you state, then the van Gough is really a work in motion!

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