A naked man arrested after ‘getting intimate’ with a tree will not be prosecuted, Wiltshire Police have confirmed.
Police were called to Queen Elizabeth Gardens in Salisbury after reports from members of the public back in June.
A video of the man stripping naked and rubbing his body on the stump whilst kissing it vigorously was posted online.
Officers rushed to the scene and detained the suspect, a man in his 40s, on suspicion of indecent exposure.
He was later released on bail – but now local police say he won’t be prosecuted for the offence and the investigation has ended.
The crime was recorded as having an ‘outcome 21’ which is used in cases where criminalisation and disclosure may not be proportionate or suitable as it could be prejudicial to further employment or voluntary roles.
These outcomes should only be considered in exceptional circumstances and should be appropriate for the seriousness of the offence in question.
Around 25 people were in the area at the time and had been enjoying the heatwave when the incident happened.
At the time, one woman said: “I was just walking in the park with one of my mates and we saw a man hugging a tree and thought it was interesting.
“We walked closer and as we did, we saw his trousers down and thought this is pure gold.
“That’s why I started recording and he just started taking off all his clothes and kissing the tree.
“After I stopped recording, the police turned up and started following the man around then arrested him.”
A man’s been arrested after ‘getting intimate with a tree stump’ in a Wiltshire park yesterday afternoon.
Full story: https://t.co/BszBkhh3YS pic.twitter.com/YNYtxYSbaY
— Wiltshire 999s (@Wiltshire999s) June 14, 2023
