Naked Rambler’s longest yet; but hope in Fife?

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis of Perth put the Naked Rambler away for 21 months on 8 February 2010, the longest sentence yet for the unclothed one (albeit that it includes 180 days he had left to serve when last released in December 2009).  The sentence also includes three months for contempt by appearing nude in court.

Sheriff Foulis' previous warning about the prospect of a life in jail may however be tempered for Stephen Gough, by consideration of another case decided in Cupar Sheriff Court on 25 January 2010 and reported by the BBC, where a man alleged to have been walking naked near Shell Bay Caravan Park, Elie, Fife, was found not guilty of a breach of the peace, Sheriff Charlie Macnair having ruled there was no case to answer.  It appeared that the man had wandered away from an accepted naturist area at nearby Dumbarnie Links, but had not conducted himself in a disorderly manner or approached or followed anyone (although he had alarmed a lady who had seen him from the caravan park).  Sheriff Macnair said:

"There may well be many places where to be found naked in a public place would amount to criminal conduct, but the evidence is that Dumbarnie Links is regularly used by nudists and naturists.  I don't consider that you being naked in that place without deliberate intention to cause alarm would amount to breach of the peace."

Scots Law News is not sure whether this can be reconciled with the Naked Rambler jurisprudence; if Mr Gough can ever get far away enough from Perth Prison to enter the kingdom of Fife, perhaps the matter will be put to the test.