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Naked Cowboy in court after streak through town centre

Exclusive by Emma Mountford
31/ 7/2008

AN AGEING naked cowboy was rounded up and hauled before the courts after strutting his stuff through the town centre.

Pensioner William Crewe, who goes by the stage-name Billy Blue, was wearing just a stetson and a pair of cowboy boots when he streaked across Middleton Gardens and strode through the saloon doors of his local pub.

The 66-year-old came up with the idea while topping up his tan at a nearby beauty salon in preparation for a holiday, Rochdale magistrates heard.

The court was told he had been celebrating a friend's 65th birthday at the Harbord Harbord pub on a busy weekday afternoon when he decided to go for the impromptu tanning session at the Sun and Beauty Spot.

But instead of putting his clothes back on, the lone ranger strode back over to the Wetherspoons hostelry with just his hat and boots to hide his modesty.

Mr Crewe - who has dubbed himself the Rochdale Cowboy - then returned to the tanning salon for his discarded clothes and got a taxi home. He was later arrested.

CCTV footage played to the court showed the musician dressed in full cowboy regalia, strumming his guitar in the packed pub before leaving and returning minutes later minus most of his clothes.

Mary Marsland prosecuting said he spurred himself on "to make his mates laugh" after drinking three pints of Guinness.

She added: "He told police he should have known better at his age."

A woman who was with her five-year-old grandson in Middleton Gardens called police after realising he didn't have a pouch "covering his private parts".

Donald Owen, defending, said: "We all know of streakers and people like that at football and cricket matches, but I think this was a streak with a difference."

He added that Mr Crewe, who is homeless but has lived at addresses in Middleton and Rochdale, acted on impulse and the incident was all over with in a flash.

"In his police interview he said 'I did it for a laugh. I showed my maggot to make my mates laugh'," said Mr Owen.

"That was his intention. He didn't intend to offend anyone. Obviously some people may have taken offence, but he really didn't intend anything of that nature."

Mr Crewe, who is currently serving a 60 day sentence for breaching a county court order, was charged with a public order offence. He pleaded guilty at Rochdale Magistrates on Wednesday 23 July.

But after hearing that he suffers from bipolar disorder and was experiencing a manic episode at the time of the offence, magistrates gave him an absolute discharge.