A STUDENT from Burnley whose naked protest through London landed him in court has defended his action saying people should stop considering nudity "inherently indecent".

Richard Chaffer, 22, of Southern Avenue, was one of six people who went nude in the capital outside the Royal Court of Justice to campaign for the right to be naked in the street.

When he appeared at Bow Street Magistrates' Court, London, he was bound over for 12 months in the sum of £50.

But today Richard defended people's rights to be nude saying: "The overall intention of the group protest was concerned with a serious human rights issue which must be addressed.

"I just don't think the human body is inherently indecent and people should get away from that idea. The protest was not a streak or an indecent event, I would never do anything like that.

"The protest took place before pre-warned people who knew it was about to happen. It was not some sort of shock event.

"I apologise to anyone who was initially offended by my actions. I have not done something offensive, my actions were misunderstood - hopefully this statement will help to reveal my intentions.

"This is not titillation or scare tactics, it is a considered, organised belief that the human body is not inherently indecent or offensive.

"The protest had nothing to do with my upbringing, surroundings or family."

Richard told his parents, former teachers Tom and Mary Chaffer, of his escapades over the telephone.

At the time they said were going to "give him a good talking to" but Richard said: "To begin with they were really shocked but when I explained about it they could see what the protest was all about."

Citing various nude art including John and Yoko Ono appearing naked on an album cover, and similarly Janis Joplin and Alanis Morissette, Richard added: "The form is what it is. My approach to this type of nudity is peaceful, rational and non-sexual. The naked human body is as joyous as any other non-sexual formation."

But he did say he had no plans for a repeat performance.

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