Stephen Gough

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Stephen Gough, also known as Steve Gough and the naked rambler, is a 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. He has been arrested several times and put in prison in the course of his ramble.

Steve gough shoping.jpg Caption1

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, the most recent of which for being in contempt of court as he appeared naked before a judge. He served a three month sentence in HMP Edinburgh. The walk was resumed on Sunday 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. In effect Articles 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 have been repeatedly breached by the authorities since Steve and Melanie arrived in Scotland."

He was involved with the public nudity advocacy group The Freedom to be Yourself.

Gough was arrested again on Thursday 19 May 2006 at Edinburgh airport after removing his clothes during a flight from Southampton to Edinburgh and refusing to get dressed.[1]. On 25 August 2006 he was given a seven month jail sentence.[2].

On 9 April 2007 Gough was cleared of charges related to his refusing 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 is currently awaiting a decision on his appeal against contempt of court convictions for refusing to wear clothes during his trial.[3]

[edit] See also

• Naked hiking
• Clothes free organizations
• Naturism and Nudism
• Streaking
• The Freedom to be Yourself
• Russell Shaw Higgs
• Public nudity
• Vincent Bethell
• Terri Sue Webb
• Timeline of significant non-sexualized public nudity activities

[edit] 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