Northampton man banned from wearing skirt breached Asbo

Peter Trigger is banned from wearing a skirt or showing bare legs

A man banned from wearing skirts or showing bare legs on school days has been found guilty of breaching an Asbo.

Peter Trigger, 60, from Farndon Close, Northampton, was given an anti-social behaviour order in December 2008.

He is forbidden from behaving in a manner which causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

Northampton Magistrates' Court found him guilty of harassing his neighbours but declined to activate a suspended prison sentence he also faced.

Trigger had been banned from wearing a skirt or showing bare legs on a school day between 0830 and 1000 and 1445 and 1600 GMT or BST, the court was told.

Magistrates found him guilty of breaching the Asbo by deliberately bending over in front of his neighbours early in the morning on 16 December last year, causing them harassment, alarm and distress.

You have the human right to dress as you wish but your actions must not cause harassment, alarm or distress Chris Musson, bench chairman

Trigger was given the Asbo, which runs until 2013, in December 2008 after parents complained he was waiting near a primary school in the town dressed in clothes similar to school uniform.

He also has a 12-week suspended prison sentence for exposure imposed last year.

Chairman of the bench Chris Musson said: "Your action in standing in front of the van and bending over two or three times was deliberate.

"Mr and Mrs Copping were upset. You have the human right to dress as you wish but your actions must not cause harassment, alarm or distress."

Parents complained to police about how Peter Trigger dressed

She said they would not activate the 12-week suspended sentence.

"We feel it would be unjust because this breach itself would not warrant a prison sentence and you are the carer for your aged mother."

Trigger has to attend sex offenders' group work and is on the sex offenders register for seven years.

He also is under supervision for 24 months and must observe a 12-week curfew from 0700 to 0900 GMT.

Trigger was also fined £100 and ordered to pay £300 court costs and a £15 to his victims.

Jerena Tomaszewska, prosecuting, said Trigger was seen outside his house at 0725 GMT on 16 December by neighbours Philip and Mary Copping.

"He stood by the witness's van with his back to it. He bent down and was appearing to be doing something with his laces.

"He repeatedly bent down until Mr and Mrs Copping drove off."

Trigger told police he was bending down to collect debris from a wall which had collapsed between his house and the one next door.

Ms Mason told him: "We are not going to send you to prison today and you are quite fortunate in that."

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