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Brands Hatch rogue driver Jack Cottle jailed for eight months | Brands Hatch rogue driver Jack Cottle jailed for eight months |
(35 minutes later) | |
A man who drove a car on to the Brands Hatch circuit during a race has been jailed for eight months. | A man who drove a car on to the Brands Hatch circuit during a race has been jailed for eight months. |
Jack Cottle was arrested after footage of a VW Polo being driven on to the track in June was posted on YouTube. | Jack Cottle was arrested after footage of a VW Polo being driven on to the track in June was posted on YouTube. |
Cottle, 22, of East Sussex, who was driving his girlfriend's car, had admitted a public nuisance charge at Maidstone Crown Court. | Cottle, 22, of East Sussex, who was driving his girlfriend's car, had admitted a public nuisance charge at Maidstone Crown Court. |
Judge Martin Joy told the defendant, of Durgates, Wadhurst, he had "endangered many lives". | Judge Martin Joy told the defendant, of Durgates, Wadhurst, he had "endangered many lives". |
He said Cottle's actions were "premeditated" and inexcusable". | |
The labourer drove the car on to the circuit at high-speed during the last 30 minutes of the four-hour Fun Cup race, on 14 June. | |
Video footage of the white vehicle, also containing two passengers, making its way on to the track from a pit lane has been viewed millions of times online. | |
'Panic attack' | |
The clip also shows Cottle ignoring his girlfriend's pleas to stop the car. | |
Judge Joy said: "With your girlfriend in the front passenger seat and your other friend in the back filming, you drove your girlfriend's car on to the track. | |
"You drove a full circuit and I have seen the films with sound commentary showing your girlfriend was hysterical and screaming and begging you to stop, and also protesting it was her car." | |
He said she had to be taken to the on-site medical centre after suffering a panic attack during the drive, while Cottle came off the track laughing. | |
"It was quite clear that [Cottle] put himself and his passengers in danger, and those of drivers on the track who would not have expected a car going considerably slower," said prosecutor Iestyn Morgan. | |
"While racing was resumed after it had been red-flagged, the race was cut short. There was evidence that a number of competitors were upset about what happened. | |
"As far as the impact to Fun Cup UK, which organised the race, they lost about 30 minutes, at a cost of around £4,200 to them. | |
"Brands Hatch are particularly concerned about this being copied, in particular because videos were posted on YouTube." | |
'Easily led' | |
The defendant pleaded guilty to a charge of causing a public nuisance by driving on to a live racing circuit causing it to be stopped and putting competitors in harm's way. | The defendant pleaded guilty to a charge of causing a public nuisance by driving on to a live racing circuit causing it to be stopped and putting competitors in harm's way. |
Ailsa Williamson, defending, said Cottle "lacks maturity and is easily led". | |
"The best mitigation is Mr Cottle's very early guilty plea at the preliminary hearing," she said. | |
"It also follows full admission to the police. It was very fortunate that there were no injuries to the competitors in the race." |