Britain's 'naked rambler' stripped of liberty

[apothecary]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/20050...09/s1457400.htm

Britain's 'naked rambler' stripped of liberty

A man attempting to walk the length of Britain in the nude has been jailed by a court in Scotland for two weeks.

So-called "naked rambler" Stephen Gough, 46, was arrested south of Edinburgh on September 1, during his second attempt to walk the length of Britain wearing nothing.

Gough, from Bournemouth on the southern English coast, was naked in court as sheriff Kenneth MacIver found him guilty of a breach of the peace.

He told Gough: "I have no doubt in my mind that walking naked through a Scottish town and along a busy road is not something which the Scottish public should be expected to deal with."

He said he thought individuals were likely to be "upset, alarmed or offended" by his antics.

Public nudity is illegal in Britain, but that has not stopped Gough attempting a second trek wearing nothing but boots, a hat and a rucksack - this time with his girlfriend.

The former Royal Marine walked the 1,363-kilometre length of Britain from Land's End in south-west England to John O'Groats on the north-east tip of Scotland in 2003-2004.

He was arrested 14 times and served two jail terms during the trip.

Gough said he planned to press on to John O'Groats if he were released from court.

Sheriff MacIver warned him however that he could find himself guilty of the same offence if he did so.

"You will understand that I have absolutely no wish to see you arrested and prosecuted in every jurisdiction between here and John O'Groats," he said.

"That is not helping anybody. You will stay in custody for a short period, during which clothes can be brought to you."

Gough said: "In time we'll look back and have a good old laugh and think, 'Were people convicted of such a ridiculous thing?'."

'Shocking'

In court, postman William Lister, 21, said he felt "pretty alarmed" and "pretty shocked" when he saw Gough and his girlfriend in the village of Roslin.

He saw the naked duo a short distance away from an elderly woman and her grandchild.

"I was concerned for the child - a child seeing nudity," Mr Lister said.

"It's not something you see everyday - it's shocking."