The naked rambler, Stephen Gough, has been told he will spend the rest of his life behind bars if he continues refusing to wear clothes in public.Say what..?
He’s evidently a loon, but does he really deserve to be banged up, perhaps for life, when charmers like this who have caused real damage can be expected to go free one day?
The former Royal Marine, who became notorious for his naked hike from Land's End to John O'Groats in 2003, has spent much of the past seven years in prison for repeatedly appearing nude in public.FFS..!
He was yesterday found guilty of breaching the peace when he walked naked from Perth prison in December after finishing a 12 month sentence for the same offence.
Mr Gough was warned he will continue to be jailed every time he steps out of prison without any clothes on.
So what? Anyone who wants to walk out of a Perth prison starkers in December isn’t going to have much on display to offend anyone, is he? Well, not once the cold air hits…
Perth Sheriff Lindsay Foulis told Gough she would consider granting him bail to go home to his "warmer" house in Eastleigh, Hampshire, if he agreed to put some clothes on. The former lorry driver refused the offer and was remanded in custody.It’s hard not to see this as a childish game between one loon and the discredited criminal justice system.
Ordering psychological and psychiatric reports, the Sheriff said: "When the day comes for you to be released, you will be apprehended and the same process gone through again.”No, it’s about the law once again being a (naked) ass.
Mr Gough said he accepted he could "potentially" remain in jail forever and added: "This is about individual freedom."
Tim Worstall is of the same mind…
How much is all this nonsense costing us? Not blaming Mr. Gough either.
ReplyDeleteRemember when this country used to be a tolerant place? This case would have been overcome with a bit of blind eye turning and some good humour. Not any more, the will of the State must prevail. What makes it all worse is that this level of intolerance has been put in place by the most corrupt set of politicians to govern for hundreds of years.
ReplyDeleteDon't expect things to get any better under Cameron and his bunch of equally corrupt, troughing henchmen.
He is a bit of a mentalist but he doesn't hurt anyone, he might shock the odd group of ramblers.
ReplyDeleteMaybe he should be encouraged to wander around some of our less desirable urban areas. I've a feeling he might not want to be so conspicuous wandering through Mosside or 'Ackney, anywhere where the chav gngsta underclass roam freely. Little Gough might get burned or graffiti'd.
Disturbing but not dwelt upon piece of news this morning. Apparantly there is a prison building programme in the UK but some group of bleeding heart liberals want it to be stopped and the money ploughed into 'rehabilitation' and the overall UK prison population reduced by a third!
I have some ideas how the latter can be achieved but I doubt this bunch will want to hear it.
I dunno Julia, seeing particular people naked can easily give me nightmares....
ReplyDeleteThe guy is a harmless eccentric in the fine old British tradition of harmless eccentrics.
ReplyDeleteranter said...
ReplyDeletesome group of bleeding heart liberals want it to be stopped and the money ploughed into 'rehabilitation' and the overall UK prison population reduced by a third!
Well, considering the topic that enabled you to enlighten us on that fact, maybe they have a point?
Indeed Mr T but although people like Mr Rambler would (and should) be excluded from the prison population I've a feeling a few more dangerous specimens will be let out and about, I mean more than are already under early release schemes but I take your point. Thank you.
ReplyDelete.-)
ReplyDeleteBasically though, I agree. Lock them up for ever and a day, WHEN they deserve it.
Or even better "Shot whilst trying to escape".
"How much is all this nonsense costing us?"
ReplyDeleteFar too much!
"Remember when this country used to be a tolerant place? "
Yes, but we replaced 'toleration' with the need to 'celebrate' other cultures and habits. Why is no-one 'celebrating' Mr Gough's beliefs, I wonder?
"Maybe he should be encouraged to wander around some of our less desirable urban areas. "
That'd be entertaining to watch, I'm sure!
"The guy is a harmless eccentric in the fine old British tradition of harmless eccentrics."
Indeed. But we'd rather imprison or hospitalise him, while letting monsters roam free. When did we lose the battle? I wasn't even aware we were fighting it!
Yes, but we replaced 'toleration' with the need to 'celebrate' other cultures and habits. Why is no-one 'celebrating' Mr Gough's beliefs, I wonder?
ReplyDeleteBecause, the same as in Stalinist Russia, any one whos Culture or beliefs do not fit present "Government" dictat... sorry POLICY, is immediately branded some sort of psycho and "locked away for his own safety", or until the "Government" "policy" changes.
For POLITICAL dissent they use the "anti terror" laws.
Easy, the whole population sewn up during the tea break at a cabinet meeting.