On Friday I'd got back from an evening walk, stripped off once inside, had a cuppa & a bowl of soup, I was just thinking of making another cuppa when someone banged on my door I grabbed my dressing gown put it on answered the door to find 3 police officers who charged me with indecent exposure...........
They got me dressed & whilst a male officer saw to me dressing the two female officers searched my house, they seized my camera & I don't know what else (possibly a MET-art picture of Rita B) they wanted my mobile phone but I've not seen that since February so couldn't help them there, then with a coat & my wallet took me off to the local nick with cells.
Once there after an hour or two I was charged & learned what it was about.
"One day last month I went for an early morning walk, nude but with my shorts bunched on my belt once I'd got to depopulated zone, movement up ahead I noticed a person walking toward me - I slid my shorts across myself hiding my manhood, our paths crossed 2m apart, I said hello, usual pleasantries, she said "I've heard about you", - some cyclist friend of a friend had seen me on the moors last year, She stood her ground & suggested I move off I said something like she'd see my bum then so she walked off the other way but turned before she went out of sight so I moved to walk away trying to move my shorts to cover my bum but they snagged on my flesh & she may have seen front & back but from a distance but I certainly didn't try to expose myself.
whilst being questioned I was asked if I wanted a solicitor - I asked if one was available they said no not until tomorrow, (they had already spoken about how I would get home but not when) so hoping I might get back home that night, I agreed not to wait, it was all filmed & recorded in triplicate on disks.
Once past the that incident she brought up my Paper boy job, how it nicely coincided with kids going to school & me doing my exercises on benches on my route when my legs got too painful to walk, wearing a long jacket - my Paramo waterproof with shorts underneath"
The charging officer said that a description of me had been put into the local papers asking people to come forward with information.
they will contact me by post they said, they nearly didn't let me go on the grounds I might take my life
I'm scared to death, I was given a lift home by the police before it got fully light.
Please does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do?
Replies
- ST
StevieLornaJul 19, 2020Get a lawyer and dont tell them about this site, they might go through your pics and what groups you belong too.
ReactReply - PE
PeterJul 19, 2020Contact BN Pete as well as getting a solicitor. Did you ask them to check their own police guidelines on nudity in public?
ReactReply - OL
OllyJul 19, 2020My BN membership card gives this website address regarding English law and naturism : www.bn.org.uk/policing. It gives a link to the police guidance on naturists being naked in public. Basically it says they should not arrest you as any prosecution will fail. It is not illegal for a naturist to be naked in public. If you have any problems join BN (British Naturism) and they will defend you.... And you could even sue them for wrongful arrest but that might be pushing it.
ReactReply - PA
PaulJul 19, 2020Stay calm in the knowledge that you have not broken the law. You should take heart in the fact that it is not unlawful to be naked in public.
I am sad to hear your predicament , but you have a community on your side, so stay strong.ReactReply - JO
JohnJul 22, 2020[quote]Contact BN Pete as well as getting a solicitor. Did you ask them to check their own police guidelines on nudity in public?[/quote]
I agree with contacting British Naturism at [url][link]/link/143fd35428633d44/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYm4ub3JnLnVrL2NvbnRhY3R1cy8%3D[/link]https://www.bn.org.uk/contactus/[/url]. Their legal team have a track record of no convictions for anybody they have defended.
They obviously prefer to defend members, but they have defended several non-members and I consider it to be well worth the cost of membership if they request you to join.ReactReply - PEPeteOriginal PosterJul 22, 2020
Thanks folks trying to join BN but they want to know what offenses I've had, email sent waiting for reply from them
nothing more from police yet.
I keep trying to take my mind off it or I just go to piecesReactReply - PEPeterJul 22, 2020
Have you got copies of the police& BN guidelines Pete?
ReactReply - JOJohnJul 23, 2020[quote]Thanks folks trying to join BN but they want to know what offenses I've had, email sent waiting for reply from them nothing more from police yet. I keep trying to take my mind off it or I just go to pieces[/quote] An email for the legal team telling them about your current predicament would be the better approach.ReactReply
- STStevieLornaJul 31, 2020
Public nudity is legal, public lewdness isnt.
If there is a suggestion of lewdness by members of the public then the police have to investigate.
If it was a naturist going about his business then there will be no charges.
I hope it all works out for the OP.
ReactReply - MEMemberAug 20, 2020[quote]How come you didnt know this happen so frequently specially to nudist men in non nudist environment. Enjoy nudism in your privacy and do not bother others. If you want public nudity there are plenty of options you might consider to avoid this unnecessary bad experiences. I hope you can calm down, sole all the issues with the police and learn from this situation.[/quote] Rafael, it actually isn't that common, when you consider how many miles of naked walking happens in this country. I know of one other incident where a walker is repeatedly visited by the police, but other than that it's generally very quietReactReply
- MEMemberAug 20, 2020
One best and especially males better know the environment temperament for open nudity and I'm not referring to lewd conduct just being naked. Not everyone knows that now trail cams are very commonly used and I'm sorry for the OP's situation. Whether it's hiking, driving or walking past your window nude know the climate of the judicial system.
Andydi and I have talked about this previous a few times. Where he can and enjoys driving naked and in short it's not the electric chair getting stopped. Should I be caught I know that I am going immediately in handcuffs the way they found me and get listed on the sex offenders list where I live. Most likely Luann would get a pass being a female in the same situation and she giggles about that.
ReactReply - JI
JimSep 2, 2020[quote]On Friday I'd got back from an evening walk, stripped off once inside, had a cuppa & a bowl of soup, I was just thinking of making another cuppa when someone banged on my door I grabbed my dressing gown put it on answered the door to find 3 police officers who charged me with indecent exposure........... They got me dressed & whilst a male officer saw to me dressing the two female officers searched my house, they seized my camera & I don't know what else (possibly a MET-art picture of Rita B) they wanted my mobile phone but I've not seen that since February so couldn't help them there, then with a coat & my wallet took me off to the local nick with cells. Once there after an hour or two I was charged & learned what it was about. "One day last month I went for an early morning walk, nude but with my shorts bunched on my belt once I'd got to depopulated zone, movement up ahead I noticed a person walking toward me - I slid my shorts across myself hiding my manhood, our paths crossed 2m apart, I said hello, usual pleasantries, she said "I've heard about you", - some cyclist friend of a friend had seen me on the moors last year, She stood her ground & suggested I move off I said something like she'd see my bum then so she walked off the other way but turned before she went out of sight so I moved to walk away trying to move my shorts to cover my bum but they snagged on my flesh & she may have seen front & back but from a distance but I certainly didn't try to expose myself. whilst being questioned I was asked if I wanted a solicitor - I asked if one was available they said no not until tomorrow, (they had already spoken about how I would get home but not when) so hoping I might get back home that night, I agreed not to wait, it was all filmed & recorded in triplicate on disks. Once past the that incident she brought up my Paper boy job, how it nicely coincided with kids going to school & me doing my exercises on benches on my route when my legs got too painful to walk, wearing a long jacket - my Paramo waterproof with shorts underneath" The charging officer said that a description of me had been put into the local papers asking people to come forward with information. they will contact me by post they said, they nearly didn't let me go on the grounds I might take my life I'm scared to death, I was given a lift home by the police before it got fully light. Please does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do?[/quote] You need a solicitor and a good one. You're then going to find out in discovery what the evidence against you is. It seems like just an eyewitness account from one complainant. Stop telling your story. People think that they need to defend themselves. That's the solicitor's job. The low profile is not going to hurt. They cannot put a description of you in the paper and solicit eyewitnesses based on this arrest. Unless the woman you ran into was an undercover officer. There's also a real problem with the process. For an eyewitness report of misdemeanor to escalate into an arrest which was not anything more than a gussied up investigation. They did not charge you? Did the cop say what paper? In any case they can't do that to you if you have not been charged and they need more than one incident to violate your rights. They lied about the solicitor. The suicide mention was to terrorize you. I'd have an expert under your solicitor sweep your house for surveillance equipment. They took you in all night but no charges were laReactReply - PEPeteOriginal PosterOct 9, 2020
Finally back here, the police are taking no further action because of insufficient evidence, apparently the woman concerned is fine with it.
I can now occaisionaly get to sleep without drinking myself under the table.
Have now bought a wrap around Kilt, like Olly recommends but of course the one I get is a button up one not a velcro one the ad said could be either.
Since the arrest I've not be nude outside of my house or back garden & I've managed 3 walks total since late july - not at least 3 a week as I was before.
ReactReply - OLOllyOct 9, 2020
Peter. Any prosecution was bound to fail - see post #4 referring to police guidance. I've been on many naked hikes with nude friends. I carry a mini kilt I can wrap round myself if I see someone coming. It is little more than a gesture in their favour. My nude friends often hold their ground and stay naked.
To be prosecuted you have to have intended to cause alarm and distress to the viewer. In the UK naturists are treated as a minority who strongly believe in the benefits of being naked. Comparisons have been made with followers of minority religions and vegans. It is a human right to do what we believe in. So a naturist can not be prosecuted for going about his lawful business without clothes.
OllyReactReply - JIJimOct 10, 2020
They didn't have a case to begin with and from your description, they violated your rights in a few places during interrogation and in the search, which was general and (did they ever show you a valid warrant, and if so, how did they obtain one signed off by a judge so quickly, warrants are for specifics to do with a case that is well documented and ongoing not a spur of the moment thing), with warrant it is still almost impossible to be legal, and without it is actionable with prejudice. The questioning and threats are harder to prove but nonetheless also entirely illegal (threats most especially). I think they decided to go fishing and found nothing. Her complaint requires damages and intent proven, and a glimpse and socially uncomfortable moment where it was clear even in her description it was an accidental meeting doesn't meet the standard of proof. That said, being careful to stay on your property (there is precedent in the UK establishing this right), or on private property with the permission of the owner, or in areas designated for nudist activity is best, although I have gone hiking here all over and I just pull on some poly football shorts if I hear anyone coming, never been caught, and one woman thanked me for having shorts on (on a way out in the woods only males and nude hiking area but...) and said "but you can drop em as soon as I am gone bye... be careful but stay nude.
ReactReply - KO
koala53Oct 11, 2020As I'm sure everyone realises, we're totally stupid about this sort of thing these days. It isn't the Police you have to worry about, they are doing a very difficult job. I would suggest getting any evidence, statements and interview film recording asap. I would worry about the Crown Prosecution Service and what they might decide to do with this case. Let the legal eagles at BN sort this thing out. From what you've said, I'd watch out for the cops taking anything from you or your home when they visited you. They still need a warrant to arrest someone, and they still should have a warrant to take anything from anyone, particularly if they know where you live and don't want to proceed by summons. Watch what happens in a clinical mind frame. Don't worry-that's the counter to lunacy of this sort.
ReactReply