Gough's sentence included an addition for contempt at Perth Sheriff Court. Photo: David Hawgood CC-BY-SA-2.0
The Naked Rambler has been released from prison and allowed to walk free.
An unclothed Stephen Gough stepped from jail in Perth and was immediately spoken to by police.
However, unlike previous occasions when he has immediately been rearrested, the 53-year-old former Royal Marine from Hampshire maintained his liberty and said he would ‘head south’.
He served a 657-day sentence for breach of the peace and contempt of court because he refused to dress for his appearance at Perth Sheriff Court.
He said: “My opinion is that the police have thought: the guy’s not going to give up so let’s have a think about it.
“Something has changed and it is good news for me.”
He said he will continue his naked rambling, which he described as his vocation in life.
Mr Gough, who walked naked from Land’s End to John O’Groats, hopes to see his teenage children after spending the best part of six years in prison.
On his last release he was rearrested within 60 seconds of stepping from the prison gates.
Mr Gough claims it is his human right to walk naked. At a court hearing in 2010, he likened himself to American black civil rights campaigner Rosa Parks who famously refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama, and was the catalyst for the black emancipation movement in the United States.
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Brian Taylor - British Naturism
20 July 2012At last common sense has prevailed! Although Steve has somewhat extreme views - most Naturists wouldn't attempt to be naked ALL the time - just who has he harmed that he deserved to spend six years of his life in prison? I just hope the Scottish police think twice before arresting someone for simply being naked in future.
There is an important principle in law that was eloquently stated by Roy Jenkins when he was Home Secretary: "If you want to stop people doing something which they enjoy doing, which they believe is within their liberty of action, then you've got to have an overwhelming social case. If you're going to stop them, you shouldn't do it out of prejudice or out of habit, but only because you can show that a definite social evil results."
Thank goodness the Scottish police have managed to break this habit and overcome their prejudice...