Fraisthorpe Beach - Police Harrassment

Q: Nudity is as legal on Fraisthorpe beach as it is on any other beach - that is, it is legal if you aren't committing a specific offence. They can't charge you with 'indecent exposure' because there is no such offence i was on Fraisthorpe beach at Bridlington today and was spoken to by a policeman. He asked me why I believed that it was a nudist beach to which I replied that there were other naked people there. He informed me in no uncertain terms that nudity was not allowed on the beach and took my name and address. He told me that I would be prosecuted for indecent exposure if I was naked on the beach again. I do not believe that I was doing anything wrong. I was naked on the beach reading a book. How can the police get away with intimidation like this? Any ideas on how I can complain?

A: the police could possibly charge you with something, such as (most likely) causing alarm or distress, under section 5 of the Public Order Act, which would either involve receiving a Fixed Penalty Notice (80 quid fine, no criminal record) or being asked to accept a formal caution (criminal record). You could ask instead to go to court in either case, in which case you would have to appear in front of the local magistrates, or more probably nothing would be done. However, as there are no statistics on any of this, this is just my impression and we can't rely on that. First of all, examine your own behaviour very carefully. If you were doing something that might be interpreted as causing alarm, distress or harassment, thank your lucky stars you got off. This could include 'meerkatting' or sitting obviously close to unwilling couples or families when there was plenty of room elsewhere, not to mention the overtly sexual behaviour that naturists often complain about

(but rarely seem to report). I'm not suggesting this applies to you, but you need to cross-examine yourself thoroughly to ensure that you have a good case. Make sure you have as many details of the incident as possible. Did the officer tell you someone complained, or do you have reason to suppose someone did? What were you doing at the time and where were you exactly? You say there were other nudes on the beach - were they approached in the same way, as far as you could tell? What was the PC's collar number, and as far as you can remember what were the exact words he said? (If he was in plain clothes, you are entitled to see his warrant and take his number.)