Case adjourned... because accused wouldn't put his clothes on

Naked protest caused delay

A COURT case had to be adjourned – because the defendant refused to put his clothes on.

Stephen Kenneth Sadler, also known as Stephen Brown, was due in the dock at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Friday, December 12.

The 45-year-old local man, currently of no fixed address, had denied burgling Leightons Opticians in the Kingsland Centre, Thatcham, last July and stealing designer glasses.

But he did not attend his own trial and was convicted in his absence.

Mr Sadler, meanwhile, indicated he would admit stealing a wallet and bank cards belonging to Michael Eborall and taking a Honda Jazz car without consent, both at Lowbury Gardens, Compton, on May 7; stealing a bicycle belonging to Ben Frost on January 10; fraudulent use of bank cards and failure to surrender to bail.

However, the sentencing hearing was adjourned and it was recorded that “unforeseen circumstances prevented the hearing of this case... because the defendant would not put his clothes on.”

Instead, Mr Sadler was remanded in custody until a future hearing.