What happened to the Naked Rambler

Stephen Gough, a.k.a. The Naked Rambler, the man who walked the length of the UK naked twice made headlines for years, but what has happened to him? In 2003 Steve completed his first walk from Lands End to John O’Groats (which is the entire length of the British Isles) naked. His walk was to protest against what he saw as antiquated attitudes to the human body. He was arrested 14 times during the walk but always released as police realised that being naked is not a crime in the UK. Afterwards his boots were bought by the Land's End visitor centre museum and put on display.
Steve and Mel setting off on their walk	Mel buying provisions on route
In 2005 he repeated the walk this time accompanied by his girlfriend Mel Roberts. By now attitudes to nudity had changed in the UK and the pair passed through the country with barely any trouble. Many supporters joined them and walked naked with them for parts of the way. It was only in Scotland (which has a different legal system) that they encountered any serious trouble. Steve was given a date to appear in court in Scotland and was released on condition that he stayed clothed. This is when his real troubles started. Always one to push the boundaries he flew to Scotland for his court appearance and removed his clothes during the flight. His reward was a spell in jail because, although it is not illegal to be naked anywhere in the UK it is illegal to break a court’s bail conditions.
Steve and Mel sample the hospitality in and English pub	These boots were made for walking
And so, ever since, Steve has been on the treadmill of serving a short prison sentence, being released (naked of course), re-arrested, sent to court (naked of course) and then back to jail for contempt of court (because he is naked). Using this device the Scottish legal system has managed to keep a man in jail for several years for an offence which is not an imprisonable offence. With each turn of the loop each side of the standoff seems to become increasingly determined not to loose. It seems that the only hope of release for Steve would be to contract a serious enough illness to be sent to his home country (England in this case) as they did with the Lockerbie bomber.
A bit of sight seeing on the journey	Another shopping trip
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Comments

MaryB
Anyone wishing to send Steve a Christmas card can send it to:

Stephen Gough
Human Rights Political Prisoner No. 81590
Segregation Unit
HMP Perth
3 Edinburgh Road
PERTH
PH2 8AT

Keith
This is just another example of how stupidly the law can be interpreted or used and how depressingly narrow minded people are to bring this to court in the first place. They should be held to account for misuse of public money, meanwhile criminals in the real sense of the word walk off with a warning. It is about time the establishment woke up to the real world that trying to hide nudity, as opposed to pornography ,from children leaves them ill prepared and even more exposed to the corruption of their minds as they grow up.

Any adult who is offended is probably the product of such a narrow minded upbringing!

Debbie
Guess he should have followed the court's orders until he left Scotland. I have no pity for him. He put himself in jail.

MaryB
[Debbie said] …He put himself in jail.
Of course he did but I think that is the whole point of what he is trying to achieve. I believe that he sees himself as a progressive campaigner and is challenging the law just as the Suffragettes did to get votes for women. If Steve helps human beings to lose their fear of the human body that would be no bad thing.

Ian
So they let out the lockerbie bomber to please gaddaffi but they keep an innocent man in jail at huge cost for simply being clothesfree, I know these judges have "principles" to uphold but common sense thay have not, if he was released he would wander naked back to England and be out of their hands.

David Pledge
The madness, corruption and hypocrisy of the Scottish courts in this issue is, in my view, beyond belief! The waste of public money is a scandal and a disgrace, but the abuse of Steve Gough's human rights is absolutely unforgivable. Eventually, he will be remembered as a brave campaigner for freedom. I hope he does not give up his struggle, and that eventually, his human rights will be enforced, perhaps by a higher court, possibly in Europe. But perhaps the best thing would be for public pressure to rise in his favour. I wish someone in the media with genuine respect for freedom would make a new documentary about this Scottish farce!

dupierreux
Courage Steve
Imagines les "hommes de loi" nus au tribunal!!

Louis
Our thoughts are with you both and wish you good luck

Richard Foley
It's simply ridiculous and just goes to show how much the implementation of the law is a personal interpretation. If the police didn't take such an intense interest in Gough, and/or the judge instructed them not to bring him back in again, to waste yet more time, money and resources, he'd be a free man. Instead, the authorities continue to abuse their powerful position to bully this single harmless man, to the continuing detriment of individual freedom in the modern world.

R.

http://www.naktiv.net

Ewen
Its now a game of who will break first, Stevens commendable beliefs of the right to be naked or the Scottish police rights to arrest him, unfortunately I do not see either breaking in a hurry. Why don't they just drive him naked to the border in the privacy of a police van and let him ramble to freedom to a more sensible, relaxed England.
I feel I would like to campaign on his behalf, but to whome? Any suggestions? Can I visit him in Prison? E

JAC
Good for him for sticking to his principles, but, as a former CA defense attorney, you need To follow a Judges orders. The only real solution is to get out of the country, clothed. What's the point of spending years in prison? You don't win a thing. We all have our rights and freedom we value so highly, but, it's their system, and they tend to do what they want with it. Best to stay out of it.

Pete Knight
Yes Steve could keep his clothes on and gain his freedom, at least freedom from his cell, but he still wouldn't have the freedom to be himself. The point isn't about getting him out of jail, it's about gaining acceptance for nudity.

You can also write to the justice minister who released Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi, who was convicted of killing 270 people, to get him to release an eccentric Englishman who hasn't harmed a soul.

Write to:
Kenny MacAskill MSP
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

Please be polite, but ask that Steve be released on compassionate grounds.

Zack Pendic
I really Was impressed by the screening of the Naked Rambler 4th Dec 2009, he really put a smile on my face! But on a more serious note thank you Steve for being an inspiration, showing up the rest of us for not standing up for what we believe in.

Does any body know if Steve is still in the klink or has he been released?

MaryB
Yes Steve is still in prison. You can also write to Kenny MacAskill asking for his release here: kenny.macaskill.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

Please be polite.

Steve Castle
I am appalled that Steve Gough is still in prison especially as he did not commit a crime in the first place. He clearly is a man of courage and conviction. All the best Steve.

tony and vera
keep up the fight you are a man of courage www.naturistholiday.co.uk

Tom V
Steve has been told that he could spend the rest of his life in prison if he doesn't change his dress code:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/cover-up-or-face-life-in-jail-naked-rambler-is-warned-1865690.html

blondie
not being funny but why all the hassle? it's not as if his dangly bits are really dangling, I've seen better on the beaches in Spain.

Anne
What a load of rubbish. We came into this world naked and it is the narrow minded people and judges in Scotland who have a problem. He isn't causing any problem to anyone and for those who don't like it, they don't have to look !! He isn't a sex fiend or a murderer and is just doing what he feels is right, there are more perverts in our country and Scotland running around with their clothes on, so come on you narrow minded judges, let him free. He deserves a medal for walking naked in all weathers. It is far worse to be on any foreign beach and see the 'posers' in their little seedy trunks and gold medallions than Steve.
IN that group I would also count David Beckham and more recently Ronaldo in their underwear poses, doesn't do anything for me. Carry on Steve, there is nothing wrong with nudity. We came across a nudist beach in Majorca a couple of years ago and stripped off, it was most exhilarating.

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