Carry On... streaking:
Judge refuses to give 'harmless' sporting stripper an Asbo
By JAMES TOZER
7th August 2007
www.dailymail.co.uk
He has made an exhibition of himself at some of the world's most famous sporting arenas. But it looked like the final whistle had sounded for serial streaker Mark Roberts when police applied for an Asbo to stop him exposing himself. Yesterday, however, a judge blocked the order. And Mr Roberts vowed to carry on streaking. The unemployed 42-year-old Liverpudlian was most recently spotted at last year's Ryder Cup, running on to the course with just a toy squirrel preserving his modesty and a golf ball between his buttocks as Tiger Woods was about to tee off.
Mr Roberts, who claims to have completed 380 streaks, says there are barely any sporting events left where he has yet to expose himself. Currently, streakers can be prosecuted for such offences as outraging public decency and indecent exposure but there is no specific law against their antics. At yesterday's hearing before Liverpool magistrates, Merseyside Police sought an anti-social behaviour order banning Mr Roberts from displaying his buttocks and genitals in public. He would have faced jail if he breached it.
Jim Clarke, for the force, said: 'Mr Roberts seeks to portray himself as a performer. But people do not pay to see this man streak.' However Laurence Lee, defending, said his client had not streaked in 12 months apart from last September's Ryder Cup in Ireland, adding that he had 'turned over a new fig leaf'. 'He accepts some people might be offended,' Mr Lee added. 'But this is good, old-fashioned British fun.'
District judge Nick Sanders rejected the Asbo application, saying Mr Roberts's behaviour did not cause real distress. ' What Mr Roberts does may be annoying but, in my opinion, it does not amount to anti-social behaviour,' he said. Afterwards, Mr Roberts said: 'Humour and justice has prevailed over political correctness. My motivation has only ever been to entertain people. The day I get booed by the public is the day I stop.' He hinted he is now considering retirement, adding: 'They should have brought this Asbo when I was in my prime, but I'm 42 and there's not much left that I want to do.'
Over the last 14 years, hundreds of millions of viewers have seen Mr Roberts naked, usually daubed with some pun or other. His most prominent appearances include:
• Leaping on to the floating weathermap during a live broadcast of This Morning in 1995.
• Running on to Centre Court during the 2002 Wimbledon men's final - between Lleyton Hewitt and David Nalbandian - and vaulting the net.
• Scaling the fence at Royal Ascot on Ladies' Day in 2003 and cantering down the track with 'Lady Muck' penned on his chest.
• Dashing on to the pitch at the 2004 SuperBowl in Houston, with 'Super Bowel' written across his back - moments later he was flattened by one of the players.
• Prancing around the table at the 2004 Embassy World Snooker Finals at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, naked except for a pair of shiny black shoes and joke teeth.
There was a shock delay in America, when Roberts paraded after the first-quarter of the 2004 Superbowl. After yesterday's ruling, police called for a change in the law to enable them to ban repeat streakers, saying their stunts detracted from their ability to tackle hooliganism and the threat of terrorist attacks. John Beyer, of the pressure group Mediawatch UK, said: 'This ruling is likely to lead other people to do the same thing. I hope broadcasters will be vigilant in not transmitting their actions as nudity does cause offence, particularly during the daytime.'
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Ahh, the legal system. It has its moments for sure... I'm glad to hear the guy's turned over a new fig-leaf
