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Case against naked rambler dropped

10:33am Tuesday 30th October 2007

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The case against a Kingston naturist arrested while doing a naked walk for charity has been dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Bernard Boase, 63, from Coombe Neville, was cleared of causing distress to fellow cliff-top walkers in June of this year, when the CPS decided there was insufficient evidence for a prosecution.

“We thought it would easier that the police should know in case people called in. They would have been able to say ‘yes, we do know about it and of course it is perfectly legal. For some reason they took the exact opposite position and started an expensive operation.”

Bernard Boase

He was part of a 15-strong group of naked ramblers raising money for the Marine Conservation Society, which is British Naturism's chosen charity for the year.

The group, knowing their hobby has raised some eyebrows in the past, informed police of their 20-mile charity ramble and their intention to wear only boots and rucksacks.

Mr Boase said instead of accepting the warning or telling them not to do it, police launched a major operation, including a helicopter which followed the group, and 10 officers who saw them off and escorted them.

Mr Boase said: "The Marine Conservation Society was extremely grateful. They gave me a mention on their website, a free t-shirt and a certificate.

"We thought it would easier that the police should know in case people called in. They would have been able to say yes, we do know about it and of course it is perfectly legal. For some reason they took the exact opposite position and started an expensive operation."

Mr Boase's companions agreed to put their clothes back on, but was eventually arrested on suspicion of breaching sections five and six of the Public Order Act 1986.

He was accused of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress.

Officers said it was for his refusal to clothe himself when being told to.

Being naked is not an offence in itself, but causing alarm by being unclothed is in breach of the public order act 1986.

Having not completed the walk, Mr Boase returned in August, without telling police, and finished the distance "without complaint and largely without clothes".

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maggie, London says...
11:28am Tue 30 Oct 07

why dropped against naked rambler?
You feel really close to nature when you discard your clothes and feel warm sunshine, fresh air or cool water on the whole of your body.
Being naked outdoors gives you a great sense of freedom.
Being naked in the presence of others is a pleasurable experience,
but it is pleasure in the nicest sense of the word. It is very relaxing and enjoyable.
So many cliche sites are available for us. such as http://www.nudistcon

nect.com

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Bernard Boase, Kingston upon Thames says...
2:38pm Tue 30 Oct 07

Most of this report is accurate, except: (1) It was the CPS who dropped the case in August before it came to court, citing "not enough evidence". (2) The Public Order Act does not mention nudity as a possible cause of alram; indeed case law supports the idea that the harassment alarm and distress in the POA are strong terms requiring much more violent or threatening behaviour than passing and peaceful nudity. The latter is simply legal.

I consider my arrest to have been an abuse of police powers, and I am not the only walker that day who has written with formal complaints to either Dorset police or the Independent Police Complaints Commission. Compensation for my legal costs has yet to be awarded by the court.

The photograph show a poster which reads: "Marine Conservation Society Coastal Challenge ... To walk 20 miles nude", and several pasing walkers asked us how they could contribute. The Editor, having promised not to, has doctored the picture quite unnecessarily.


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Bernard Boase, Kingston upon Thames says...
2:43pm Tue 30 Oct 07

...and now the Editor has replaced the photograph! By one that doesn't publicise the MCS and doesn't invite his censorship. Ah well.

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Pete Knight, Worc's says...
5:42pm Tue 30 Oct 07

How many complaints were submitted to the police to elicit that sort of operation?
Shameful policing and shameful reporting.
Never let the truth get in the way of a good story eh!

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clothes look nice, sutton says...
6:29pm Tue 30 Oct 07

Have you ever stopped to think that maybe no one wants to see your naked rear end? Not everyone wants to be assaulted by your freedom to run around like some hippie in touch with nature. I love nature and take walks, have days out with my family, love to splash in the sea and such but doing it with a sense of respect for those around me (with my clothes on). What one believes in is one thing but when you forced your bodies upon others no matter how liberally hippiefied you claim to be, it's just exibitionism in the extreme and wanting others to see your nudism is perverted. What do you really accompish other than grossing others out? Yeah, sure you get a thrill from it, so do pole dancers, and we all know they do it just to show off their bodies, too.

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kath, says...
10:07am Wed 31 Oct 07

I would have complained to the cops if I'd seen this exhibitionist. It's about t5ime the CPS got some balls and started dealing properly with characters such as these instead of giving free reign to this revolting behaviour. Kath

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norman, surbiton says...
12:00pm Wed 31 Oct 07

kath wrote:
I would have complained to the cops if I'd seen this exhibitionist. It's about t5ime the CPS got some balls and started dealing properly with characters such as these instead of giving free reign to this revolting behaviour. Kath
Kath, If you paid attention and read the article and the comments you might just grasp the fact that it is not illegal. I'm sure your response would be that new laws should be drafted immediately to curbe this threat to society, perhaps they could be included in the new "anti terror" laws and we could have a little more of what freedom we have left taken away, what a great idea that would be, eh Kath ?

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Wild Bill McClintock, Albania says...
12:09pm Wed 31 Oct 07

I agree with Kath, everyone should be forced to wear a standard type of clothing, maybe grey suits for men and women alike and the idea of including nudity in the anit-terro laws currently winging their way through parliment is a splendid idea. These people are obviously filthy perverts and if there were such laws against them the police could then just shoot them seven times in the head like that forigner on the tube. Thats the way to deal with people who threaten to undermine the fabric of society. As for the Marine Conservation Society, they should be named as a terrorist assosiation and shipped off to Cuba where they can rot in a millitary jail without trial as far as I'm concerned. I mean who really cares about mollusc and their ilk ?

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Kath, says...
8:28pm Wed 31 Oct 07

I'm married to a criminal lawyer and he tells me the law they used would have worked if people would have come forward and say how cross they were but people just don't want to get involved in police and courts these days because they are afraid. I was in America recently and they have been making laws to deal with this sort of thing even in places where it used to be allowed. Where America leads Britain follows and I am looking forward to the days when people who flash like this guy are called perverts and put on the sex register or sent off to jail.

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John, says...
3:36am Fri 2 Nov 07

I love the sea and all it's marvels and mysteries. As J.G. Ballard said 'Earth is the only alien planet'. I think he was alluding to the fact that we know more about outer space than we do about inner space. I am very interested in both and I am worried about the known and unknown effects Man is having having on the marine environment.
Having said that I was disgusted to find that a load of 'flashers' had chosen the MCS to practice their exhibitionist urges this year. What was the public edification of the hazards that marine biology faces by a bunch of people walking about naked in public.
It would be better if they protested with pictures of oil covered seabirds, dolphins dying in tuna nets and whales being eviscerated on certain countrys' fishing vessels.
I wonder how many of those involved really know anything about marine biology.
So this was their chosen charity for the year ! I hate to think what they'll do when their chosen charity involves children.
I wholly endorse the actions of the Dorset police and regret that there were no convictions as a result. I wonder how much of a thrill that Bernard Boase got from exposing himself to women and children !!
I believe in the rights of anyone who wishes to live an alternative lifestyle but I don't believe that they have the right to force that choice on people of a different persuasion. If this sort of thing is allowed by this country's laws then where do we stop ? Can I walk naked past a primary school as the children are getting out as I want to protest against the erosion of the world's coral reefs ?
I am curious as to whether the MCS endorsed this 'protest' and, if so, do they feel that this exposition was beneficial.
Selfish behaviour is not the answer....education is !
Regards.
John.


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Kay G, SW London says...
9:45pm Fri 2 Nov 07

Suppose this story is refreshing change from kids stabbing one another or running cyclists down causing their demise and perpretrators getting away with it than some folks who choose to walk in the nude in the middle of the countryside and evading prosecution.

A little perspective is in order. If you are frightened of a human being in their most natural form - just gauge your eyes out now and be done with it.

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Pete Knight, Worc's says...
9:00am Sat 3 Nov 07

I see the clothes fascists are posting their thoughts, no one is going to tell me what I must wear, or not as the case may be.
I would have complained to the cops if I'd seen this exhibitionist. It's about t5ime the CPS got some balls and started dealing properly with characters such as these instead of giving free reign to this revolting behaviour. Kath
Dear Kath, wouldn't it be best if you and hubby concerned yourselves more with crime, naked rambling isn't a crime but mugging old ladies is, and where do the police place additional resources?
Had the police not been informed prior to the walk it would have gone ahead and no one would have been wiser, the MCS would have had its extra few hundred quid without the FREE publicity it gained through the many newspapers, which is more than a few cranks with pictures of oily birds would have managed.

There are numerous groups of naked walkers, how many of you whingers have seen any, none I would say so what have you got to moan about then, get a life!



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Rodrick, epsom says...
11:19pm Sun 4 Nov 07

I'm married to a criminal lawyer and he tells me the law they used would have worked if people would have come forward and say how cross they were but people just don't want to get involved in police and courts these days because they are afraid.

What is it you think they were afraid of Kath ? Have you ever stopped to think that maybe the problem is yours alone and other normal people are not particularly bothered by someone walking about naked, afterall, thats what the evidence would sugest. My advice would be to stop trying to impose your outdated victorian values on others, live and let live perhaps ? You could even give it a try yourself, maybe this would help your problem.

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Percy the Prude, Surrey says...
8:58pm Wed 7 Nov 07

"The Marine Conservation Society was extremely grateful. They gave me a mention on their website, a free t-shirt and a certificate."

There was a clue in that: FREE T-SHIRT. They were very subtly saying 'put some clothes on!'

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Daniel Gaunt, hudds says...
3:12pm Wed 14 Nov 07

clothes look nice wrote:
Have you ever stopped to think that maybe no one wants to see your naked rear end? Not everyone wants to be assaulted by your freedom to run around like some hippie in touch with nature. I love nature and take walks, have days out with my family, love to splash in the sea and such but doing it with a sense of respect for those around me (with my clothes on). What one believes in is one thing but when you forced your bodies upon others no matter how liberally hippiefied you claim to be, it\'s just exibitionism in the extreme and wanting others to see your nudism is perverted. What do you really accompish other than grossing others out? Yeah, sure you get a thrill from it, so do pole dancers, and we all know they do it just to show off their bodies, too.
just to let you know I wouldn't be grossed out by you if you were nAKED, actually I wouldn't even care or take any notice of you. Naturists are not interested in being seen or seeing others naked.

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Daniel Gaunt, huds says...
3:17pm Wed 14 Nov 07

according to research 9% of people are against naturist and 12% support BNP policies so even 3% of BNP followers think naturism is ok!

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Peter, Glos says...
9:04pm Sun 18 Nov 07

Kath wrote: "if people would have come forward and say how cross they were but people just don't want to get involved in police and courts these days because they are afraid."

If anyone was upset and a squad of Dorset's finest, complete with helicopter, didn't give them the confidence to complain what does that say about the effectiveness of the police?

An alternative interpretation is that people didn't complain because actually they were not cross about what they saw. Please, Kath, look ta life without the blinkers on.

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Bison, Worksop says...
5:56pm Mon 19 Nov 07

Pete Knight wrote:
I see the clothes fascists are posting their thoughts, no one is going to tell me what I must wear, or not as the case may be.
I would have complained to the cops if I'd seen this exhibitionist. It's about t5ime the CPS got some balls and started dealing properly with characters such as these instead of giving free reign to this revolting behaviour. Kath
Dear Kath, wouldn't it be best if you and hubby concerned yourselves more with crime, naked rambling isn't a crime but mugging old ladies is, and where do the police place additional resources?
Had the police not been informed prior to the walk it would have gone ahead and no one would have been wiser, the MCS would have had its extra few hundred quid without the FREE publicity it gained through the many newspapers, which is more than a few cranks with pictures of oily birds would have managed.

There are numerous groups of naked walkers, how many of you whingers have seen any, none I would say so what have you got to moan about then, get a life!


People who walk about in public are rude and disrespectful. Kath is right that they should be locked up. If that's Victorian - well, in some ways, we lived in a better society then and I've no problem with that. The police and CPS should be protecting decent people from such despicable exhibitionism.

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Nikki, UK says...
12:56am Fri 4 Jan 08

There is a time and a place for naturists to practice their naked lifestyle. Walking along the cliffs is NOT the right time or the right place. While in a naturist club you are among like minded people ... not so on the cliff tops.

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alex, london says...
5:27pm Tue 5 Feb 08

I cant believe the furore this thread is causing.... I have been walking naked in the countryside for many years ( not literally years of course... I would be knackered by now )
But the few people I do come across usually reply with a cheery "hello" and sometimes a bit of a shoolgirlish giggle.. but never any over the top ,shocked reaction. Get out there , get the sun and fresh air on your body and give naked rambling a go... Its fun.. and the most natural way to enoy the great ourdoors.

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Laid bare: Bernard Boase Laid bare: Bernard Boase

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