‘I don’t know where my clothes are’

A MAN caught wandering naked around a supermarket car park swore at police and told him he didn’t know where his clothes were.

Alarmed shoppers pointed out Patrick McCarthy as he attended the 24-hour Asda store in Huddersfield starkers in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Bearded McCarthy, 52, pleaded guilty to a public order offence of using threatening behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

He was arrested following the incident at just after 2am and taken before Kirklees Magistrates’ Court in custody later in the morning.

Prosecutor Andy Wills said two on-duty police officers had gone to the Bradford Road store to buy some refreshments during their break.

He told magistrates: “They were in the store when members of the public informed them about a gentleman walking around the car park totally naked.

“The officers went outside and saw the defendant with no clothes on wandering around.

“When they asked him where his clothes where his response was: ‘I don’t f **** g know – do you?’”

McCarthy, of Clare House in Clare Hill, Huddersfield, was warned about his language and then arrested.

He was initially charged with the more serious offence of outraging public decency before this was replaced with the public order offence when he appeared in court.

Magistrates were told that McCarthy needed to be assessed by a mental health worker as he had reported hearing voices.

He had been out of trouble since he was sentenced to 18 months in custody for an assault back in 1983.

Paul Blanchard, mitigating, told magistrates: “This is an unusual set of circumstances.

“Mr McCarthy clearly has issues that will need to be dealt with effectively.

“He’s embarrassed in relation to how he found himself like this in the Asda car park.”

Magistrates gave McCarthy a 12 month conditional discharge.

He still must pay £85 court costs and £20 victim surcharge.