To the police and prosecutor, Vincent Bethell was a danger to public morals. Yesterday a jury of two women and 10 men found in his favour, clearing him of causing a public nuisance by repeatedly stripping in crowded streets last summer. It is simply not a public nuisance in these circumstances. But Mr Bethell vowed to continue his campaign and insisted that far from trying to harm public morals, he sought to bring happiness and purity to a corrupted society. It's a great success but it will only be a true success when everyone overcomes their fears about their body.
Life's too short to be ashamed of the human body and humanity.
To view the human body as a sex object is an unreal perception of the human appearance. The jury trial is so important for justice. His solicitor, Mike Schwarz, said the verdict had vindicated his client's belief that non-sexual public nudity was not a crime. The public were at worst bemused and at best exhilarated by what he did. But, in evidence, police officers said they had received a string of complaints about Mr Bethell's nakedness, resulting in his arrest six times, although none of the complainants gave evidence.