Naked rambler is kept behind bars

Stephen Gough Stephen Gough

NAKED Rambler Stephen Gough remains behind bars today for allegedly breaching an antisocial behaviour order (ASBO) banning him from going nude in public places, just minutes after it was imposed.

He appeared nude in the dock at Southampton Magistrates’ Court yesterday and indicated he would plead not guilty to breaching the ASBO, which covers all of England and Wales and is effective until May 10.

If found guilty he could be jailed for up to five years.

The 54-year-old, of Chamberlayne Road, Eastleigh, was arrested as he left the court naked on Thursday immediately after Hampshire police and Eastleigh Borough Council successfully secured the ASBO from magistrates in Southampton.

The ASBO states that he must “wear sufficient clothing in public to at least cover his genitalia and buttocks” apart from at nudist beaches and at appropriate medical examinations.

He had refused the offer of clothing and a lift by police.

Gough has already served several jail terms for refusing to get dressed in public places, including courtrooms.

Yesterday he also pleaded not guilty to another offence of causing harassment, alarm or distress in Basingstoke on February 27.

Jeffrey Norie-Miller, defending, said that his client believed he was entitled under the European Convention of Human Rights to be naked in public if he so wished.

The court heard that Gough has 16 other offences awaiting trial and he was remanded in custody until the case could be heard at Southampton Crown Court on March 25.

Comments(15)

Richard 51 says...
9:12am Sat 2 Mar 13

The naked bike ride comes to mind???

huckit P says...
9:25am Sat 2 Mar 13

The man is in need of some serious therapy. Who in their right mind would go put in weather like this without layers of clothing anyway?

Big Mac says...
10:44am Sat 2 Mar 13

The judge said "I can clearly see your nuts" just before sentencing him to community service to pick up litter and put it where the sun don't shine.
The big question is Willy be ared to conform when he comes out?

west_end_legend says...
2:14pm Sat 2 Mar 13

Lets not be to hard-on him!!!!! See what I done there???

bazzeroz says...
3:56pm Sat 2 Mar 13

Section this prat once and for all.

Crazywolf says...
4:13pm Sat 2 Mar 13

don't the police have better things to do?

Georgem says...
5:11pm Sat 2 Mar 13

Richard 51 wrote:
The naked bike ride comes to mind???
Why?

Georgem says...
5:13pm Sat 2 Mar 13

bazzeroz wrote:
Section this prat once and for all.
Do you mean "section this mentally-unwell person"?

OSPREYSAINT says...
8:08am Sun 3 Mar 13

Georgem wrote:
bazzeroz wrote:
Section this prat once and for all.
Do you mean "section this mentally-unwell person"?
It hasn't been proved that he is indeed mentally challenged yet, to most he is just a pest who isn't prepared to obey the law.

Milfordian2 says...
8:59pm Sun 3 Mar 13

OSPREYSAINT wrote:
Georgem wrote:
bazzeroz wrote:
Section this prat once and for all.
Do you mean "section this mentally-unwell person"?
It hasn't been proved that he is indeed mentally challenged yet, to most he is just a pest who isn't prepared to obey the law.
"...isn't prepared to obey the law". What law would that be then? There is no English law requiring the wearing of clothes, which is why in ten years of rambling naked he has never had a conviction in England for being naked in public that was not quoshed on appeal.

The point of an ASBO is that it allows the local police and a magistrate to make a new law that is specific to the individual and then lock him up for breaking that. No evidence was heard and all the careful consideration of parliament in drafting the existing laws of the land was simply ignored to allow the prejudged decision of the police and magistrate to lock him up.

That's not justice, it is simply prejudice at its worst.

speedyuk says...
7:52pm Mon 4 Mar 13

This bloke has been walking through colleges and par children I ask do u want your kids to see this !!

Milfordian2 says...
8:22pm Mon 4 Mar 13

speedyuk wrote:
This bloke has been walking through colleges and par children I ask do u want your kids to see this !!
Not particularly, but I am sure that if they did see him it would do them no harm. It would certainly be less harmful than many of the violent video games and movies that kids are exposed to these days.

Pikey-Biker says...
9:11am Tue 5 Mar 13

Milfordian2 wrote:
speedyuk wrote: This bloke has been walking through colleges and par children I ask do u want your kids to see this !!
Not particularly, but I am sure that if they did see him it would do them no harm. It would certainly be less harmful than many of the violent video games and movies that kids are exposed to these days.
Depends on your view on the ‘harm’ a lot of parents of young children could view your post as quite poor taste. On your second point exposure to movies and games are on the whole by choice, exposure to the Rambler on the whole is not.

tomjones2012 says...
11:46pm Fri 8 Mar 13

speedyuk wrote: This bloke has been walking through colleges and past children I ask do u want your kids to see this!!

You're joking? Nudity in European families is no issue, see for example the German FKK movement.

I would have a problem with owners who allow their pets to foul the street as it can pass on toxocariasis that can blind kids. Nudity doesn't.

Second-hand smoking, even outside schools can cause cancer. Nudity doesn't.

Intolerance harms kids.

Pikey-Biker says...
8:08pm Mon 11 Mar 13

But if he is not stopped from walking around naked, it will show it is okay to break the laws of the land and basically do whatever you want

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree