Britain's 'Naked Rambler' Arrested for Stripping on Plane

May 18, 2006
At the Appeal Court, three justices decided that Gough's case merited a full hearing. But they urged Gough's lawyers to persuade him that he was "doing himself no good" by continuing to go naked.

Britain's "naked rambler," who has had numerous brushes with the law for nudity on land, was arrested Thursday after shedding his clothes aboard an aircraft.

Stephen Gough, 47, was on his way to Edinburgh for a hearing at the Appeal Court, where he was challenging four contempt of court citations for nudity in Scotland.

Police arrested the former marine at Edinburgh Airport.

At the Appeal Court, three justices decided that Gough's case merited a full hearing, on a date to be set. Lord Johnston urged Gough's lawyers to persuade their client that he was "doing himself no good" by continuing to go naked.

Gough has completed two naked walks the length of Britain, with interruptions for arrests and court appearances, in 2004 and 2007.

"There is no law saying 'Thou shalt not go naked,'" Gough said at one of his court appearances in 2004. "All I am doing is dressing how I want to dress and believing what I want to believe."

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