'You’re not allowed there!' - Nudists spotted on Lincolnshire beach

[Danee]

Police were called out to a Lincolnshire beach following a report of people walking along the beach in the nude.


Alford and Mablethorpe Neighbourhood Policing Team attended Theddlethorpe beach near North Somercotes yesterday, Wednesday, May 31.





It came following a report of people walking around an area in the sand dunes naked.





The policing team took to Facebook to remind people the beach, which is a designated National Nature Reserve, is not a naturist site.


The post said: "Your Neighbourhood Team attended at Theddlethorpe beach following a report of persons walking around an area in the sand dunes naked.


"Theddlethorpe is NOT a naturist beach!"


According to the Crown Prosecution Service, the law states: "In the absence of any sexual context and in relation to nudity where the person has no intention to cause alarm or distress it will normally be appropriate to take no action unless members of the public were actually caused harassment, alarm or distress (as opposed to considering the likelihood of this)."


However, it does become an offence if it can be proved the person had intent to upset and shock.


If you do want to strip down to enjoy the warmer weather then there are a number of nudist and clothes-optional destinations across the UK - with some close to Lincolnshire.




Read more at http://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/you-8217-re-not-allowed-there-nudists-spotted-on-lincolnshire-beach/story-30366311-detail/story.html#tttetHc2FhJRqwwz.99

[nudistdude32]

Section 66 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 is what says that it is only an offence if it was intended to cause alarm or distress. The CPS has been pretty good about this.

[newbie]

difficult if the police officers themselves are prudes and feel embarrassed

[kahuna]

The law seems sufficiently vague as to basically allow the discretion of the police to determine WHAT is unlawful!!!

[Brad]

Police never determine what is lawful and what is not. Police have to take vague laws and use their best judgement with enforcement action but the fault is not on the police. If police do use enforcement action, it is still up to a judge to decide if there was in fact a violation of law and then impose the appropriate sanctions. If police do not follow laws then they are susceptible to law suits, civil and criminal. The hardship is with the law makers because it is hard to have one cookie cutter law for every situation.   

[Mark]

Huh. The way my dad told it, people go nude at Theddlethorpe all the time, but keep to the dunes.

My guess is, whoever filed the report was just another misery guts looking for something to complain about/be offended by.