Guess that you yanks are glad you are not under the harsh heel of british tyranny - you would probably be much nicer to this guy
Get your trousers on or face life behind bars: Naked rambler warned he will be re-arrested each time sentence ends
Naked rambler Stephen Gough has been threatened with spending the rest of his life in a maximum security prison - unless he puts on a pair of trousers.
Gough, who has become notorious for trying to walk around Britain naked, was arrested within seconds of being freed from Perth Prison shortly before Christmas.
He was found guilty earlier this week of breaching the peace by walking naked in the street and refusing a police request to put clothes on in public.
The 6ft 4in eccentric former Royal Marine was warned that he would continue to be jailed every time he stepped out of the prison without any clothes on.
On the past two occasions when he has been freed from jail, officers from Tayside Police were waiting at the jail gates to re-arrest him.
Sheriff Lindsay Foulis told Gough he would not have to be 'crystal ball gazing' to realise that the same process would occur 'again and again and again'.
Gough - who has spent the bulk of the past seven years in jail for identical crimes - had turned down an offer to walk free on Monday on condition that he get dressed.
He had said it was a matter of individual freedom and insisted his behaviour was ‘reasonable’.
rosa parks
During his trial, Gough compared himself to the U.S. civil rights campaigner Rosa Parks
Sheriff Foulis told him he would consider granting him bail to go back to his 'warmer' home county on the South coast if he agreed to put clothes on, but Gough said he would not.
‘A number of your recent convictions have arisen in similar circumstances,’ the sheriff said.
‘You have more or less been apprehended when you have been released from prison.
‘I suppose it doesn't need an expert in crystal ball gazing to anticipate that if I impose a custodial sentence then in so many months time a similar scenario will arise.
‘When the day comes for you to be released from a prison establishment you will be apprehended and the same process gone through again.
‘This is what has happened over the last while and if I impose a custodial sentence that is a scenario which is likely to arise again and again and again.’
Gough, of Eastleigh in Hampshire, said he accepted it was ‘potentially’ the case that he could remain in jail for ever - apart from the few seconds of freedom he enjoys every six months or so.
The 50-year-old turned down the offer to go home to Eastleigh in Hampshire to see his mother because he would not accept the condition of getting dressed.
During the trial he compared himself to American Deep South civil rights campaigner Rosa Parks and said he believed his behaviour was ‘reasonable’.
Enlarge Stephen Gough arrives at John O' Groats, Thursday 22 January 2004
Gough arriving at John O' Groats after a 900-mile walk six years ago. He claimed in court his behaviour was ¿reasonable¿
Gough said: ‘Essentially this is about individual freedom and people's tolerance to other people being different. I understand a lot of people will disagree and have strong feelings about it.
‘Walking the amount of miles I have, through towns and cities, it is on the whole a very small moral minority who act in an irrational way. I believe I am behaving in a reasonable way.’
Gough was allowed to conduct his own defence in open court while completely naked and the sheriff said he would consider whether that was a contempt of court when he is sentencing.
He warned Gough that he could be jailed more than 18 months.
Gough, who is kept in a segregation unit at Perth Prison for his own safety, said: ‘People who have brought great change often have to go to prison first. People often have to go to prison for many years before others see the light.’
Perth Sheriff Court had previously heard how dealing with Gough's bizarre campaign to remain naked had cost the public purse more than £200,000.
Gough was found guilty of breaching the peace near Perth Prison December 17 and was remanded in custody. The sheriff also ordered psychological and psychiatric reports.
Naked rambler Stephen Gough has been threatened with spending the rest of his life in a maximum security prison - unless he puts on a pair of trousers.
Gough, who has become notorious for trying to walk around Britain naked, was arrested within seconds of being freed from Perth Prison shortly before Christmas.
He was found guilty earlier this week of breaching the peace by walking naked in the street and refusing a police request to put clothes on in public.
The 6ft 4in eccentric former Royal Marine was warned that he would continue to be jailed every time he stepped out of the prison without any clothes on.
On the past two occasions when he has been freed from jail, officers from Tayside Police were waiting at the jail gates to re-arrest him.
Sheriff Lindsay Foulis told Gough he would not have to be 'crystal ball gazing' to realise that the same process would occur 'again and again and again'.
Gough - who has spent the bulk of the past seven years in jail for identical crimes - had turned down an offer to walk free on Monday on condition that he get dressed.
He had said it was a matter of individual freedom and insisted his behaviour was ‘reasonable’.
rosa parks
During his trial, Gough compared himself to the U.S. civil rights campaigner Rosa Parks
Sheriff Foulis told him he would consider granting him bail to go back to his 'warmer' home county on the South coast if he agreed to put clothes on, but Gough said he would not.
‘A number of your recent convictions have arisen in similar circumstances,’ the sheriff said.
‘You have more or less been apprehended when you have been released from prison.
‘I suppose it doesn't need an expert in crystal ball gazing to anticipate that if I impose a custodial sentence then in so many months time a similar scenario will arise.
‘When the day comes for you to be released from a prison establishment you will be apprehended and the same process gone through again.
‘This is what has happened over the last while and if I impose a custodial sentence that is a scenario which is likely to arise again and again and again.’
Gough, of Eastleigh in Hampshire, said he accepted it was ‘potentially’ the case that he could remain in jail for ever - apart from the few seconds of freedom he enjoys every six months or so.
The 50-year-old turned down the offer to go home to Eastleigh in Hampshire to see his mother because he would not accept the condition of getting dressed.
During the trial he compared himself to American Deep South civil rights campaigner Rosa Parks and said he believed his behaviour was ‘reasonable’.
Enlarge Stephen Gough arrives at John O' Groats, Thursday 22 January 2004
Gough arriving at John O' Groats after a 900-mile walk six years ago. He claimed in court his behaviour was ¿reasonable¿
Gough said: ‘Essentially this is about individual freedom and people's tolerance to other people being different. I understand a lot of people will disagree and have strong feelings about it.
‘Walking the amount of miles I have, through towns and cities, it is on the whole a very small moral minority who act in an irrational way. I believe I am behaving in a reasonable way.’
Gough was allowed to conduct his own defence in open court while completely naked and the sheriff said he would consider whether that was a contempt of court when he is sentencing.
He warned Gough that he could be jailed more than 18 months.
Gough, who is kept in a segregation unit at Perth Prison for his own safety, said: ‘People who have brought great change often have to go to prison first. People often have to go to prison for many years before others see the light.’
Perth Sheriff Court had previously heard how dealing with Gough's bizarre campaign to remain naked had cost the public purse more than £200,000.
Gough was found guilty of breaching the peace near Perth Prison December 17 and was remanded in custody. The sheriff also ordered psychological and psychiatric reports.
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