Stephen Gough
Encyclopedia
Stephen Gough also known as Steve Gough and the Naked Rambler, is a British
former Royal Marine turned activist from Eastleigh
, Hampshire
, famous for walking the length of Great Britain
from Land's End to John o' Groats
in 2003–2004 with nothing on except boots, socks, rucksack and sometimes a hat, after having quit his job as a lorry driver. He has been arrested and imprisoned numerous times during the course of his ramble, and subsequently.
His second Land's End
to John o' Groats
ramble was in 2005–2006 and accompanied by his girlfriend Melanie Roberts. He was arrested twice in England but almost immediately released. The legal system and many laws are different in Scotland and after crossing the border there were further arrests — the current total being over 20 including contempt of court after he appeared naked before a judge. He served a three-month sentence in HMP Edinburgh. The walk was resumed on 12 February 2006, and completed shortly after on Monday 20 February the same year.
His website claims that ordering him to wear clothes for his court appearance "breached Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights
" - Right to a Fair Trial. He claimed that Articles 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 have been repeatedly breached by the authorities since he and Melanie arrived in Scotland.
He was involved with the public nudity
advocacy group The Freedom to be Yourself
.
Gough was arrested again on 19 May 2006 at Edinburgh
airport after removing his clothes during a flight from Southampton
to Edinburgh and refusing to get dressed. On 25 August 2006 he was given a seven month jail sentence.
On 9 April 2007 Gough was cleared of charges related to his refusal to dress upon being released into Saughton Prison car park in Edinburgh. The ruling judge, Isobel Poole, found that there was no evidence of "actual alarm or disturbance", adding "I can understand this conduct could be considered unpleasant to passers-by had there been any but there is a lack of evidence to that effect." Gough lost his appeal against contempt of court convictions for refusing to wear clothes during his trial.
On 18 December 2008 he was convicted of a breach of the peace
and jailed for 12 months. In July 2009, Gough, standing in the dock naked, was jailed at Perth
for a further 12 months for breach of the peace. Sheriff MacFarlane was told that the bill for dealing with Gough had cost the public an estimated several hundred thousand pounds. The court heard how Gough had finished a previous jail term at Perth Prison and was released to enjoy freedom for the first time in several months. However, his freedom lasted less than 30 seconds after he walked naked from the prison door to Edinburgh Road. Gough was also sentenced to four months for refusing to dress before the trial.
On 8 February 2010 Gough was convicted of breach of the peace and contempt of court, charges relating to walking naked in Perth and appearing naked in court. He was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment, his longest sentence to date.
On 25 November 2010 he was found guilty of: On 26 October 2010, conducting himself in a disorderly manner, standing naked at the gates of Perth Prison, refusing to wear any clothing or otherwise cover his private parts and committing a breach of the peace. He was sentenced to 15 months and 26 days. He is understood to spend his time in prison in solitary confinement. On 24 August 2011, Gough was sentenced to 657 days in prison after having been arrested less that a minute after being released from Perth Prison
, Scotland.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
former Royal Marine turned activist from Eastleigh
Eastleigh
Eastleigh is a railway town in Hampshire, England, and the main town in the Eastleigh borough which is part of Southampton Urban Area. The town lies between Southampton and Winchester, and is part of the South Hampshire conurbation...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, famous for walking the length of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
from Land's End to John o' Groats
Land's End to John o' Groats
Land's End to John o' Groats is the traversal of the whole length of the island of Great Britain between two extremities; in the southwest and northeast. The traditional distance by road is and takes most cyclists ten to fourteen days; the record for running the route is nine days. Off-road...
in 2003–2004 with nothing on except boots, socks, rucksack and sometimes a hat, after having quit his job as a lorry driver. He has been arrested and imprisoned numerous times during the course of his ramble, and subsequently.
His second Land's End
Land's End
Land's End is a headland and small settlement in west Cornwall, England, within the United Kingdom. It is located on the Penwith peninsula approximately eight miles west-southwest of Penzance....
to John o' Groats
John o' Groats
John o' Groats is a village in the Highland council area of Scotland. Part of the county of Caithness, John o' Groats is popular with tourists because it is usually regarded as the most northerly settlement of mainland Great Britain, although this is not a claim made by the inhabitants...
ramble was in 2005–2006 and accompanied by his girlfriend Melanie Roberts. He was arrested twice in England but almost immediately released. The legal system and many laws are different in Scotland and after crossing the border there were further arrests — the current total being over 20 including contempt of court after he appeared naked before a judge. He served a three-month sentence in HMP Edinburgh. The walk was resumed on 12 February 2006, and completed shortly after on Monday 20 February the same year.
His website claims that ordering him to wear clothes for his court appearance "breached Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights
European Convention on Human Rights
The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms is an international treaty to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe. Drafted in 1950 by the then newly formed Council of Europe, the convention entered into force on 3 September 1953...
" - Right to a Fair Trial. He claimed that Articles 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 have been repeatedly breached by the authorities since he and Melanie arrived in Scotland.
He was involved with the public nudity
Public nudity
Public nudity or nude in public refers to nudity not in an entirely private context. It refers to a person appearing nude in a public place or to be seen from a public place. It also includes nudity in a semi-public place, where the general public is free to enter, such as a shopping mall...
advocacy group The Freedom to be Yourself
The Freedom to be Yourself
The Freedom to be Yourself campaign was founded in 1999 by Vincent Bethell. The group, according to Vincent Bethell is about "the right to be naked in public". The campaign is about non-sexual public nakedness...
.
Gough was arrested again on 19 May 2006 at Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
airport after removing his clothes during a flight from Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
to Edinburgh and refusing to get dressed. On 25 August 2006 he was given a seven month jail sentence.
On 9 April 2007 Gough was cleared of charges related to his refusal to dress upon being released into Saughton Prison car park in Edinburgh. The ruling judge, Isobel Poole, found that there was no evidence of "actual alarm or disturbance", adding "I can understand this conduct could be considered unpleasant to passers-by had there been any but there is a lack of evidence to that effect." Gough lost his appeal against contempt of court convictions for refusing to wear clothes during his trial.
On 18 December 2008 he was convicted of a breach of the peace
Breach of the peace
Breach of the peace is a legal term used in constitutional law in English-speaking countries, and in a wider public order sense in Britain.-Constitutional law:...
and jailed for 12 months. In July 2009, Gough, standing in the dock naked, was jailed at Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
for a further 12 months for breach of the peace. Sheriff MacFarlane was told that the bill for dealing with Gough had cost the public an estimated several hundred thousand pounds. The court heard how Gough had finished a previous jail term at Perth Prison and was released to enjoy freedom for the first time in several months. However, his freedom lasted less than 30 seconds after he walked naked from the prison door to Edinburgh Road. Gough was also sentenced to four months for refusing to dress before the trial.
On 8 February 2010 Gough was convicted of breach of the peace and contempt of court, charges relating to walking naked in Perth and appearing naked in court. He was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment, his longest sentence to date.
On 25 November 2010 he was found guilty of: On 26 October 2010, conducting himself in a disorderly manner, standing naked at the gates of Perth Prison, refusing to wear any clothing or otherwise cover his private parts and committing a breach of the peace. He was sentenced to 15 months and 26 days. He is understood to spend his time in prison in solitary confinement. On 24 August 2011, Gough was sentenced to 657 days in prison after having been arrested less that a minute after being released from Perth Prison
Perth (HM Prison)
Located on two sites a half-mile apart in south east Perth, HM Prison Perth is a prison that houses short term adult male prisoners , mainly fine defaulters and those on remand from the courts of Angus, City of Dundee, Perth and Kinross and the northern part of Fife...
, Scotland.
See also
- Clothes free organizations
- Naked hikingNaked hikingNaked walking, also known as naked hiking or freehiking, is a sub-category of the modern form of social nudity....
- NaturismNaturismNaturism or nudism is a cultural and political movement practising, advocating and defending social nudity in private and in public. It may also refer to a lifestyle based on personal, family and/or social nudism....
and Nudism - Public nudityPublic nudityPublic nudity or nude in public refers to nudity not in an entirely private context. It refers to a person appearing nude in a public place or to be seen from a public place. It also includes nudity in a semi-public place, where the general public is free to enter, such as a shopping mall...
- Russell Shaw Higgs
- StreakingStreakingStreaking is the act of running nude through a public place.-History:On 5 July 1799, a Friday evening at 7 o'clock, a naked man was arrested at the Mansion House, London, and sent to the Poultry Compter...
- Terri Sue WebbTerri Sue WebbTerri Sue Webb is an activist living in Bend, Oregon, who was one of few activists in the United States active in The Freedom to be Yourself campaign. She has been imprisoned and released multiple times for public nudity. On several occasions, she has remained fully nude while incarcerated, often...
- Timeline of significant non-sexualized public nudity activities
- Vincent Bethell
External links
- Steve Gough's official site
- BBC article about Steve Gough, following his first successful walk.
- BBC article about Steve Gough, following his second successful walk.
- Criticism of Steve Gough by Vincent Bethell founder of The Freedom To Be Yourself
- The naked rambler is making us look silly | Andrew Anthony | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk