Nude Charity Cyclist Who Was Attacked On His Bike Says: ‘I’m Not A Pervert’

ByMF Jones

The nude cyclist who was punched off his bike in Colchester, Essex during a charity ride has defended naturism, and insisted: “I’m not a pervert.”

Rob Brown, 59, was taking part in a Four Seasons World Naked Bike Ride event on August 9 when he was assaulted by binman Lee Turnage, 46.

Turnage had mistaken Brown for a pervert, turned his own motorbike around, and drive-by punched him in the head:

Turnage was handed a suspended prison sentence at Ipswich Crown Court for causing actual bodily harm earlier this month, which was surprising as he also assaulted two police officers who arrived to arrest him at a nearby pub afterwards.

In his victim impact statement in court, Brown revealed he now needs a walking stick for longer distances, and can no longer bend over to pick things up.

Website designer Brown has now called on the public to change their attitudes towards public nudity.

He says: ‘If I don’t go on another ride then he’s won. It won’t stop me.

‘Unfortunately, these attacks are an occupational hazard but they shouldn’t be. We are not perverts.

‘I’ve never been embarrassed about a naked body, it is the plumbing that’s different.

‘It’s nice to let the air get to every part of you and be yourself.

‘We need to have more events like this so it becomes the norm and acceptable.’

Robert Brown, 59. // One of the UK's leading naturists has spoken out for the first time after he was punched off his bike on a charity run when he was mistaken for a 'pervert'. Robert Brown, 59, was cycling through Colchester, Essex, during a Four Seasons World Naked Bike Ride event on August 9 when he was assaulted. Earlier this month, binman Lee Turnage, 46, was handed a suspended prison sentence at Ipswich Crown Court for causing actual bodily harm. Mr Brown, from Tendring, Essex, was left with grazing to his hands, arm, and legs and now relies on a walking stick for longer distances. Photo released 30/11/2025

Brown says he has been a naturist ‘all his life’ and had participated in naked charity rides across the world. There are believed to be as many as 6.7 million naturists in the UK, though I’m pretty sure they’re not all riding bicycles down the high street with their willies and minges hanging out.

According to Brown, Turnage rode past the naked riders while making a ‘filthy’ gesture with his fist.

He continued: ‘It started out as any other ride. The town crier saw us off and all around the route was perfectly fine.

‘I saw him coming down the road and he made a filthy gesture with his fist and called us “w@nkers”.

‘I moved in front of my deaf friend so they could read my lips to tell them to move over to the layby because I knew he was going to come back.

‘I heard him turn around and rev. Before I knew what had happened, I felt this almighty whack to the head.’

Robert Brown from Tendering in Essex. Robert Brown was attacked whilst on the World Naked bike ride in Colchester in August 2025 by Lee Turnage. In November the trial concluded with Turnage receiving a suspended prison sentence. // One of the UK's leading naturists has spoken out for the first time after he was punched off his bike on a charity run when he was mistaken for a 'pervert'. Robert Brown, 59, was cycling through Colchester, Essex, during a Four Seasons World Naked Bike Ride event on August 9 when he was assaulted. Earlier this month, binman Lee Turnage, 46, was handed a suspended prison sentence at Ipswich Crown Court for causing actual bodily harm. Mr Brown, from Tendring, Essex, was left with grazing to his hands, arm, and legs and now relies on a walking stick for longer distances. Photo released 30/11/2025

Whilst there’s no specific law against being naked in public, it’s only considered a sexual offence when the behaviour is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress, according to guidance.

The crime of outraging public decency only applies when a person’s behaviour is lewd, obscene or disgusting as to shock. Although some might say that’s up to interpretation, so it seems like it’s a bit of a gray area.

Brown explained: ‘Nudity anywhere in the UK, whether it is socially or private, is perfectly legal.

‘Most of the general public who turn up to see our bike rides push their kids to the front and we see them waving and cheering.

‘We quite often find that having a naked female in our group tends to pacify people – it’s when we just have men that we get the comments of ‘paedo’ or ‘pervert’.

‘We live in a society where consenting adults have rights. We want to try and get people to think in a different way to what they are.

‘No child has ever been harmed by the sight of a naked body and never will. We just hope to change people’s mindset.’

It’s a tricky one really, as cycling naked in public is obviously something that could offend/freak out a lot of people, even the ones who won’t necessarily punch you in the head over it. I mean, of all the middle-aged men participating in the annual World Naked Bike Ride, there’s bound to be at least some perverts in there, right?

Not Rob Brown, though. Glad he’s cleared that up.

For the Just Eat rider caught cycling down the M4 motorway during rush hour, click HERE. Whoops.

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