Good points (excuse the pun!) people.
But I don't think this photographic issue will go away though.
Personally, I can't see anything wrong with a person photographing, for example, a road, a town square, or anything like that.
I don't have a problem with someone photographing a beach with people in it (clothed or unclothed) but if someone takes a photograph of you specifically (say with a camera phone, or even a Canon 300

) without asking then would this bother you? General photography versus in-your-face photography is a different thing? Yes / No?
From what I can gather, the guy who was fined took in-your-face photographs of topless women, whereas the guys who has charges dismissed may well have been taking more general photographs.
Along the same lines of thought, do you think there would be some parents who would object to a stranger photographing children in a school playground?
As MHD points out that it is what is done with the pictures that is important also.
I guess, I have mixed thoughts about this topic because I can clearly see valid points from both sides of the argument.
Unfortunately, it appears that galahs with cheap photo capable mobile phones are making life much more difficult for the genuine photographic enthusiast.
Cheers
Graham