 In late 1916 Douglas jumped bail in London on a charge of indecent assault on a sixteen-year-old boy, and he effectively lived in exile from then on.He later described himself as "Norman Douglas of Capri, and of Naples and Florence, was formerly of England, which he fled during the war to avoid persecution for kissing a boy and giving him some cakes and a shilling".He did not mention that the boy had complained to the police.