Naked rambler jailed for contempt

[dalebert]

Naked rambler Stephen Gough has been jailed for three months for contempt of court at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.



The 48-year-old was not in the courtroom to hear the sentence as he remained in a cell after refusing to put his clothes on.

Gough was jailed for a contempt charge which dated back to December 2005.

Sentence had been delayed after his lawyers challenged four separate contempt findings. Appeal court judges rejected his appeal earlier this month.

Gough had claimed that to appear in court naked did not amount to contempt.

His counsel said Gough believed that to be naked in public was a fundamental freedom and that nakedness was an aspect of his personal autonomy.
   
He is not an unintelligent man. Has he been able to read the appeal court decision?
Sheriff Katherine Mackie

He called for the findings of contempt and the penalties imposed to be quashed.

However, his arguments were rejected by five appeal court judges.

Following that decision, Gough had been due to appear before Sheriff Katherine Mackie on Friday for sentence.

However, defence lawyer John Good told the sheriff that his client was in the cells and was refusing to dress for his appearance.

Sheriff Mackie said: "He is not an unintelligent man. Has he been able to read the appeal court decision?"

'Matter of regret'

Mr Good said his client had seen the ruling, but maintained his position.

The sheriff said the decision of the five judges clearly showed that her initial finding of contempt had been correct.

It was a matter of regret, she said, that Gough persisted in his contemptuous behaviour.

Gough has spent nearly 19 months in Saughton Prison since May 2006.

On each occasion he has refused to wear clothes when released at the end of his sentence and been arrested when he entered a public area.

[dalebert]

This guy makes Lauren seem downright conservative!

I love the way the sheriff acts as if the guy is suddenly supposed to realize he's wrong because some judges said he was wrong. This is the mindset that we are working with, people. Right and wrong is defined by government. Didn't you know that?

[kola]

being naked and being free go together.

Get FREE!!!..and umm..NAKED TOO!

"Come to New Hampshire, the land of the free and the naked"


Kola

[elf]

The untold story: 

Her Majesty's Prison at Slaughton, Edinburgh feeds the guy, gives him a bed, blanket, books to read, a no-fee medical system, demands no restitution,  and has no mandatory work detail.   What's not to love?    He's on easy street.   I'm joking of course.    Cage me and I would die.  But this guy? 
Poking fun at the magistrate and mocking the legal system.    I LOVE IT.   
His mind will go to mush, and he forfeits freedom.  His cause has merit, but the shock value of his method overrides the message of autonomy.   
Must admit, I did giggle when I read the report.   

[dalebert]

Guys like this and gals like Lauren are a persistent thorn in the side of statists. The judge tries to just pluck them out and toss them aside and say "case closed" but the thorn just doesn't go away. The thorn says "Oh no, the case is most definitely not closed."

[kola]

I wonder if Miss Lauren will take on his ideas. 

Kola

[Kat Kanning]

NH's a chilly place for a naked revolution. 

[elf]

NH's a chilly place for a naked revolution. 

So is Scotland.   

[srqrebel]

His mind will go to mush, and he forfeits freedom.  His cause has merit, but the shock value of his method overrides the message of autonomy.   

Huh?

How will his mind go to mush?  Seems to me that in prison, one's mind would get unlimited exercise, while one's physique might deteriorate.

I would think that the shock value of his method effectively markets the message of autonomy, but I could be wrong.

[J’raxis 270145]

His mind will go to mush, and he forfeits freedom.  His cause has merit, but the shock value of his method overrides the message of autonomy.   

Huh?

How will his mind go to mush?  Seems to me that in prison, one's mind would get unlimited exercise, while one's physique might deteriorate.

I would think that the shock value of his method effectively markets the message of autonomy, but I could be wrong.

Being put in solitary confinement in jail makes most people go insane eventually. Even regular imprisonment can be quite hard on some people psychologically. At least England doesn't have the rape problem we do in U.S. prisons.

[TackleTheWorld]

I have a basement where you can try out that "unlimited exercise" for your mind, srqrebel. 

[dysurian]

His mind will go to mush, and he forfeits freedom.  His cause has merit, but the shock value of his method overrides the message of autonomy.   

Huh?

How will his mind go to mush?  Seems to me that in prison, one's mind would get unlimited exercise, while one's physique might deteriorate.

I would think that the shock value of his method effectively markets the message of autonomy, but I could be wrong.

Being put in solitary confinement in jail makes most people go insane eventually. Even regular imprisonment can be quite hard on some people psychologically. At least England doesn't have the rape problem we do in U.S. prisons.

FTL Mark recently claimed that the rape thing wasn't a big deal when he was in prison. I tried looking up some statistics, but they're sort of all over the place, and I mostly found speculation. Anybody with a reliable source? I'm curious. I'd bet a naked prisoner would pretty much be seen as "asking for it..."

[dalebert]

I'd bet a naked prisoner would pretty much be seen as "asking for it..."

They'd prolly be kept isolated from the others. Lauren wasn't naked and she was kept isolated simply for not putting on some gloves and a mask.

[Lloyd Danforth]

FTL Mark recently claimed that the rape thing wasn't a big deal when he was in prison.

Wasn't a lot of it?  Or, he just got used to it?

[dalebert]

FTL Mark recently claimed that the rape thing wasn't a big deal when he was in prison.

Wasn't a lot of it?  Or, he just got used to it?
[/quote]

I think one reason some of his fans are eager to get him to take his shirt off is to see if he has boobs tattooed to his back.