COURT CASE:A man suffering a "manic episode" got into the men's Olympic 100m final without a ticket then hurled abuse at Usain Bolt and threw a bottle at competitors on the starting line, a court heard today.
Ashley Gill-Webb (34) used an old ticket to get into the Olympic Park, pushed his way to the front of an exclusive seating area and started shouting taunts like: “Usain I want you to love, Usain you are bad, you are an arsehole”, Stratford Magistrates’ Court in east London heard.
He then threw the beer bottle as the race – which Bolt went on to win in 9.63 seconds – started at the Olympic Stadium. Gill-Webb, from South Milford, near Leeds, was confronted by Dutch judoka Edith Bosch, then restrained by Locog volunteers and arrested.
Used old ticket
Police did not find any ticket on him for the final on August 5th, and the court heard he had used an old ticket to get first into the Olympic Park, and then into the stadium, for the race.
He denies intending to cause 100m finalists harassment, alarm or distress by using threatening, abusive or disorderly behaviour, thereby causing spectators present at the Olympic Park harassment, alarm or distress, contrary to Section 4(a) of the Public Order Act 1986.
Manic episode
His lawyers claim he was suffering from a manic episode at the time and could not form an intention to cause harassment, alarm or distress, but the Crown says that, although he was unwell at the time, he knew what he was doing.
Consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Richard Latham, for the prosecution, said although he agreed Gill-Webb was suffering from a manic episode, that did not mean he was unable to form an intention.
“He was able to form an intention to do lots of other things, lots of other quite purposeful things, including getting to where he got to, which is a pretty staggering feat given the level of security there was there,” he said.
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