Fined £75 for driving around in the nude

October 1985

Driving in the nude around Gorey cost a 38-yearold Co. Armagh man a total of £75 in fines at Gorey Court on Friday last.

He was [NAME WITHELD], Queen Street, Portadown, who in a statement to the court said that he came south of the border to look for a nudist beach he had heard about.

Defendant pleaded guilty to three charges of indecently exposing his naked person while in charge of a car at Pearse Street, McCurtain Street and Arklow Road in Gorey on September 21 last. He was also fined £20 when he admitted a charge of dangerous driving at Tinnock Lower, Gorey, on the same date.

Garda Fintan Duggan said he was driving the patrol car on September 21 when he saw a three-wheeled car driving from the North Parade on to Main Street, and out the Arklow Road. He followed the car, which was swaying around the centre of the road.

Garda Duggan said defendant made a statement in which he admitted driving around Gorey in the nude.

In his statement, defendant said he had driven to a beach somewhere south of Bray, where he took his clothes off. ‘I drove from this beach to Arklow and then Gorey without any clothes,’ he said. ‘I stopped for petrol and I put on my shorts to drive into the pumps. I removed my shorts again after getting the petrol and I drove to Gorey and Courtown Harbour.

‘I drove out to Courtown while still undressed. I drove back while still undressed. Nobody saw me in Courtown. I drove back into Gorey and parked in a street off the Main Street. I remained in the car, completely in the nude. A woman and three or four children saw me parked there. Some of the children walked by a second time while I was in the nude.

‘I had heard about a nudist beach south of Doub and I set out to look for it but I could not find it,’ he said in his statement.

In addition to his statement, defendant said that he drove up to The Monument in Gorey while still completely undressed. He spoke to two girls aged about 12 or 13, and asked them about accommodation. He said he had his shorts draped across his lap as he did so, though.

Mr David Tarrant, solicitor (defending), said his client had co-operated fully with Gardaí. His client was looking for a naturist beach in the Arklow-Wicklow area, which had been referred to in the newspapers.

While he did approach some young people while undressed, he never got out of the car while in the nude, and he had his shorts draped about him in the car.

Mr Tarrant said defendant regretted very much what he did and wished to apologise to all concerned.

Inspector Michael Gilhooly said defendant had no previous convictions.

The Justice ordered the fines to be paid forthwith out of the case bail lodgement that was already in court.