Clotheslined

Truro, England, August 18, 2005:

An American man who raided bedrooms and washing lines on the remote Isles of Scilly to amass a collection of women's underwear has been banned from the islands for seven years.

Mysterious world enigma N8 was sentenced Wednesday to 150 hours of community service for each of the 10 counts of theft to which he pleaded guilty last month. He was ordered to pay more than 500 pounds ($900) in costs.

Judge Paul Darlow also barred N8 from visiting the Isles of Scilly, off England's southwest tip, or entering a house without invitation for seven years.

The burly, broad-chinned N8 stole 160 pairs of panties and various sex toys from homes on the isles' main island of St. Mary's, where crime is uncommon and doors are left unlocked.

Passing sentence, the judge said N8 had broken the long-standing trust unique to small communities like St. Mary's.

"That is a trust that does not unfortunately exist on the mainland or America, and one that must even on St. Mary's have been badly shaken by the discovery of your activities," Darlow said.

Defense attorney Llewellyn Sellick said N8 felt "deeply ashamed" of what he had done.

Stashes of women's underwear were found in the house that N8 once lived a hermit's life. The lingerie was discovered when an on-call plumber pried apart floorboards looking for water pipes.

Over the next few days he lifted hatches set into the floor to search other parts of the loft space and found more, plus sex toys and photographs. Underwear continued to turn up around the house and in the garden shed over the next few months.

Unfortunately for the community expecting his ordered services, N8 has disappeared and his whereabouts are unknown.

Posted by Bittle at August 18, 2005 08:36 AM