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Naked stranger upsets neighbours


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Naked stranger upsets neighbours

WEDNESDAY, 17 AUGUST 2005

By ELEANOR WILSON

A naked stranger has been blowing bubbles in a West Melton couple's spa pool over the past three years – and they want him out.

Brian and Stephanie Box have entertained the man 10 times in three years, and say they are "at the end of their tether".

The severely autistic man is a patient at a Richmond Fellowship facility, 400m from the couple's Adams Road home.

He is fixated with the couple's spa.

Brian Box said the problem continued despite the Richmond facility having its own spa.

The patient, who cannot talk, climbs out of the Richmond spa and comes straight to the one on their property, leaping a 2m-high deer gate and breaking the locks on the pool by ripping the cover off.

"The first time it happened I was watching TV and I heard a splash and there he was, stark naked, sitting in the pool.

"He lies on his back, puts his head under the water, and blows bubbles."

Box said carers from the Richmond Fellowship had told him the young man – thought to be in his late teens – was upset because he had been pulled out of school for being violent.

Since the first visit, he has returned up to a dozen times – including twice in one day and a late-night appearance.

Stephanie Box said they had twice met with management, and had been told the patient would be within sight of carers 24 hours a day. Staff had promised to call next time he went missing.

"We've got to the end of our tether with them saying they'll do this and do that. They treat us as a soft touch," Stephanie Box said. "The last time it happened was on Saturday. I was in the bathroom and pulled back the curtains and there he was."

This time, the patient, who knows how to switch on the pumps, was in the spa fully clothed, and had ripped off the cover so violently that he had broken a panel.

The only way to get the man out of the pool was by splashing him with cold water or luring him out with chocolate, but on one occasion he became threatening – banging on his chest.

Box said they felt sorry for the young man, but the situation had become too stressful and dangerous.

After Saturday's incident, a member of staff from the Richmond Fellowship, which had previously paid for damage to the spa, promised to visit to discuss the problem on Monday, but failed to arrive.

Fellowship chief executive Gerry Walmisley declined to comment, saying he could not discuss individual cases.

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