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| Man who threw bottle at Usain Bolt at Olympics found guilty | Man who threw bottle at Usain Bolt at Olympics found guilty |
| (30 days later) | |
| A man who threw a plastic beer bottle at Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt moments before the Olympic 100m final has been found guilty of public disorder at Stratford magistrates court. | A man who threw a plastic beer bottle at Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt moments before the Olympic 100m final has been found guilty of public disorder at Stratford magistrates court. |
| Ashley Gill-Webb, 34, was suffering a manic episode when he used an old ticket to get into the Olympic Park and then the stadium, where he hurled abuse at Bolt, then threw the bottle on to the track before the race on 5 August. | Ashley Gill-Webb, 34, was suffering a manic episode when he used an old ticket to get into the Olympic Park and then the stadium, where he hurled abuse at Bolt, then threw the bottle on to the track before the race on 5 August. |
| Gill-Webb, from South Milford, near Leeds, was found guilty of intending to cause 100m finalists harassment, alarm or distress by using threatening, abusive or disorderly behaviour, contrary to section 4 of the Public Order Act as well as an alternative charge contrary to Section 5 of the act. | Gill-Webb, from South Milford, near Leeds, was found guilty of intending to cause 100m finalists harassment, alarm or distress by using threatening, abusive or disorderly behaviour, contrary to section 4 of the Public Order Act as well as an alternative charge contrary to Section 5 of the act. |
| Gill-Webb, who has bipolar affective disorder, pushed his way to the front of an exclusive seating area at the stadium and started shouting: "Usain, I want you to lose. Usain, you are bad, you are an arsehole," the court heard last week. | Gill-Webb, who has bipolar affective disorder, pushed his way to the front of an exclusive seating area at the stadium and started shouting: "Usain, I want you to lose. Usain, you are bad, you are an arsehole," the court heard last week. |
| He then threw the plastic bottle as the race – which Bolt won in 9.63 seconds – started. | He then threw the plastic bottle as the race – which Bolt won in 9.63 seconds – started. |
| Gill-Webb was confronted by Dutch judo champion Edith Bosch, then escorted from the stadium and arrested. | Gill-Webb was confronted by Dutch judo champion Edith Bosch, then escorted from the stadium and arrested. |
| The court heard Gill-Webb was suffering from a manic episode at the time, with an urge to be "involved" in the Olympics. | The court heard Gill-Webb was suffering from a manic episode at the time, with an urge to be "involved" in the Olympics. |
| His lawyers argued that his mental state meant he could not have intended to cause harassment, alarm or distress, but the crown said that, although he was unwell, he knew what he was doing. | His lawyers argued that his mental state meant he could not have intended to cause harassment, alarm or distress, but the crown said that, although he was unwell, he knew what he was doing. |
| The court heard that Gill-Webb pushed his way to the front of the exclusive seating area after getting into the stadium. | The court heard that Gill-Webb pushed his way to the front of the exclusive seating area after getting into the stadium. |
| Neil King, prosecuting, described him mingling with members of the Dutch Olympic team, but his "shouting and jostling", then throwing the bottle, led to a confrontation with Bosch. | Neil King, prosecuting, described him mingling with members of the Dutch Olympic team, but his "shouting and jostling", then throwing the bottle, led to a confrontation with Bosch. |
| In a statement, she described how Gill-Webb pushed past her to get to the front of the seating. | In a statement, she described how Gill-Webb pushed past her to get to the front of the seating. |
| "He was shouting specifically at Usain Bolt. Things like 'Usain, I want you to lose. Usain, you are bad, you are an arsehole'," she said. | "He was shouting specifically at Usain Bolt. Things like 'Usain, I want you to lose. Usain, you are bad, you are an arsehole'," she said. |
| "He repeated these taunts over and over – it went on and on for about two minutes." | "He repeated these taunts over and over – it went on and on for about two minutes." |
| She saw him move his arm behind his head, then forwards in a throwing motion, then saw the bottle hit the track, she said. | She saw him move his arm behind his head, then forwards in a throwing motion, then saw the bottle hit the track, she said. |
| Bosch said she confronted him, saying "'Dude, are you crazy?' | Bosch said she confronted him, saying "'Dude, are you crazy?' |
| "He was trying to walk away so I pushed him hard to stop him." I was angry with what he had done, which was so disrespectful." | "He was trying to walk away so I pushed him hard to stop him." I was angry with what he had done, which was so disrespectful." |
| Other witnesses saw Gill-Webb shouting at finalists including Bolt, fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake, and US sprinter Justin Gatlin. | Other witnesses saw Gill-Webb shouting at finalists including Bolt, fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake, and US sprinter Justin Gatlin. |
| Student Farzin Mirshahi heard him yell: "Believe in Blake, no Usain" while her brother, Kiya Mirshahi, heard: "Usain, no, Justin, you are a druggie, believe in Blake, no Usain, no." | Student Farzin Mirshahi heard him yell: "Believe in Blake, no Usain" while her brother, Kiya Mirshahi, heard: "Usain, no, Justin, you are a druggie, believe in Blake, no Usain, no." |
| After the incident, Gill-Webb – who the court heard has since lost his job – was escorted from the stadium and then arrested. | After the incident, Gill-Webb – who the court heard has since lost his job – was escorted from the stadium and then arrested. |
| His behaviour in police custody was said to be "somewhat unusual", and he told officers that he was Scottish actor Alan Cumming, signing a statement with the star's name. | His behaviour in police custody was said to be "somewhat unusual", and he told officers that he was Scottish actor Alan Cumming, signing a statement with the star's name. |
| Gill-Webb, who did not give evidence during his trial, originally denied throwing the bottle, but his DNA was later found on it. He later said he could not remember the incident. | Gill-Webb, who did not give evidence during his trial, originally denied throwing the bottle, but his DNA was later found on it. He later said he could not remember the incident. |
| Summing up, King said video footage showed Gill-Webb looking left and right, "shuffling" behind other people and then surreptitiously throwing the bottle, suggesting he knew that what he was doing was wrong and clearly had intent. | Summing up, King said video footage showed Gill-Webb looking left and right, "shuffling" behind other people and then surreptitiously throwing the bottle, suggesting he knew that what he was doing was wrong and clearly had intent. |
| But Rhiannon Crimmins, defending, said Gill-Webb was mentally ill at the time and the video just showed a man behaving "oddly". | But Rhiannon Crimmins, defending, said Gill-Webb was mentally ill at the time and the video just showed a man behaving "oddly". |
| Finding Gill-Webb guilty of both charges, District Judge William Ashworth said: "The video, in my view, clearly shows Mr Gill-Webb checking to see if he is under observation before taking the risk of throwing the bottle. | Finding Gill-Webb guilty of both charges, District Judge William Ashworth said: "The video, in my view, clearly shows Mr Gill-Webb checking to see if he is under observation before taking the risk of throwing the bottle. |
| "I am sure that he was at that point weighing up the chances of being caught." | "I am sure that he was at that point weighing up the chances of being caught." |
| He said Gill-Webb's actions were "rational and wrong" and intended to cause harassment, alarm and distress. | He said Gill-Webb's actions were "rational and wrong" and intended to cause harassment, alarm and distress. |
| Gill-Webb's wife, who was in the public gallery, wept as he was convicted of both charges. | Gill-Webb's wife, who was in the public gallery, wept as he was convicted of both charges. |
| The court heard he has two previous convictions of criminal damage. | The court heard he has two previous convictions of criminal damage. |
| The case was adjourned until 4 February at Thames magistrates court for a pre-sentence report to be completed. | The case was adjourned until 4 February at Thames magistrates court for a pre-sentence report to be completed. |
| Convicting Gill-Webb, Ashworth said psychiatrists for the prosecution and defence had agreed that Gill-Webb had bipolar disorder and was suffering from a manic episode but disagreed on whether he was so manic that he could not form intent. | Convicting Gill-Webb, Ashworth said psychiatrists for the prosecution and defence had agreed that Gill-Webb had bipolar disorder and was suffering from a manic episode but disagreed on whether he was so manic that he could not form intent. |
| The judge went on: "Mr Gill-Webb quite deliberately looked over his right shoulder and then round to look over his left shoulder to see if anyone was watching him and then stepped for concealment behind other spectators. | The judge went on: "Mr Gill-Webb quite deliberately looked over his right shoulder and then round to look over his left shoulder to see if anyone was watching him and then stepped for concealment behind other spectators. |
| "Satisfied that he was not under observation, he threw the bottle very close to the competitors who were listening for the starting gun." | "Satisfied that he was not under observation, he threw the bottle very close to the competitors who were listening for the starting gun." |
| He added: "The video, in my view, quite clearly shows Mr Gill-Webb checking to see if he is under observation before taking the risk of throwing the bottle. | He added: "The video, in my view, quite clearly shows Mr Gill-Webb checking to see if he is under observation before taking the risk of throwing the bottle. |
| "I am sure that he was at that point weighing up the chances of being caught before throwing the bottle in an effort to disrupt the start of the race and put off Usain Bolt. | "I am sure that he was at that point weighing up the chances of being caught before throwing the bottle in an effort to disrupt the start of the race and put off Usain Bolt. |
| "I am sure, therefore, that he was at that point acting rationally and wrongly and that he intended to cause harassment, alarm or distress to the competitors and accordingly he is guilty of the Section 4(a) offence." | "I am sure, therefore, that he was at that point acting rationally and wrongly and that he intended to cause harassment, alarm or distress to the competitors and accordingly he is guilty of the Section 4(a) offence." |
| He said he also found Gill-Webb guilty of the Section 5 offence, saying he stood behind another spectator to throw the bottle because he knew what he was about to do was disorderly. | He said he also found Gill-Webb guilty of the Section 5 offence, saying he stood behind another spectator to throw the bottle because he knew what he was about to do was disorderly. |
| Ashworth said he was limiting the maximum sentence to a community-based penalty, and said the pressure of the case on Gill-Webb's family had been "unbearable". | Ashworth said he was limiting the maximum sentence to a community-based penalty, and said the pressure of the case on Gill-Webb's family had been "unbearable". |
| Gill-Webb was granted conditional bail until his sentencing. | Gill-Webb was granted conditional bail until his sentencing. |
| David Robinson, deputy chief crown prosecutor for CPS London, said: "Gill-Webb's decision to throw a bottle on to the track at the men's 100m final was reckless and irresponsible. | David Robinson, deputy chief crown prosecutor for CPS London, said: "Gill-Webb's decision to throw a bottle on to the track at the men's 100m final was reckless and irresponsible. |
| "This incident came close to disrupting the most-watched event of the 2012 Olympic Games, which was broadcast to millions of people across the world and for which many athletes had trained for years. | "This incident came close to disrupting the most-watched event of the 2012 Olympic Games, which was broadcast to millions of people across the world and for which many athletes had trained for years. |
| "His prosecution should act as a warning that incidents of public disorder will be dealt with robustly to ensure public events can go ahead unhindered by criminal behaviour." | "His prosecution should act as a warning that incidents of public disorder will be dealt with robustly to ensure public events can go ahead unhindered by criminal behaviour." |
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