'Nude swimmer' facing Parish Hall Enquiry

Wednesday 07 July 2021

A 41-year-old man will be facing a Parish Hall Enquiry after allegedly taking a dip in the nude at the Lido.

Police said they were called to Havre des Pas following reports of a naked man swimming on 24 June just after 15:00.

They later arrested a 41-year-old on suspicion of indecent exposure, and eventually charged him with behaving in a way that offends public decency under the Policing of Beaches Regulations 1959.

He will now face a Parish Hall Enquiry at the end of the month.

The news follows calls from a national group representing British naturists for Jersey to change its laws to make their pastime legal on the island.

UK British Naturism spokesperson Andrew Welch told Express last week that attitudes around the body need to be challenged and urged the island to get involved with or host an event similar to their ‘Great British Skinny Dip’ – one of which is being held in Guernsey this year.

Pictured: Mr Welch said that he felt attitudes towards nudity were a "social construct," and that it was people in their "natural state." (Melissa Rodrigues)

Mr Welch was clear that naturism wasn’t about flashing or being provocative, but people enjoying being in their “natural state.”

However, a Home Affairs Department spokesperson said the Government wasn’t planning to change laws around public nudity.