Man who drove girlfriend's VW Polo onto Brands Hatch circuit during race is jailed for eight months
Video footage of the white vehicle making its way on to the track from a pit lane has been viewed millions of times online
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A man who drove his girlfriend’s Volkswagen Polo on to the Brands Hatch circuit during a competition involving 26 cars, has been jailed for eight months.
Jack Cottle, a 22-year-old labourer, went to watch a Fun Cup race on 14 June, with his girlfriend Saskia Fisk, 18, and friend Zac Copson, 20. But after being “egged on” by friends Cottle drove Ms Fisk’s car on to the track at high speed during the last 30 minutes of the four-hour competition.
Video footage of the white vehicle making its way on to the track from a pit lane has been viewed millions of times online, while mobile phone footage shot by Mr Copson shows Ms Fisk screaming frantically at Cottle as he drives around the track laughing hysterically. In the footage, he ignores his girlfriend as she implores him repeatedly to “stop it”.
She then tells him that he is going the wrong way before screaming: “Jack, oh my God!” as she realises he is taking the car on to the track to laughter from his backseat passenger.
After the car had driven an entire lap of the 1.2 mile-track, Ms Fisk had to be taken to a medical centre where she had suffered a panic attack, while Cottle came off the track laughing, the judge said.
Last month Cottle pleaded guilty to causing a nuisance to the public. Ailsa Williamson, defending, had said Cottle’s behaviour was “reckless and outrageous”. “What is also apparent is he lacks maturity and is easily led. He has shown poor judgement, recklessness and he has been overly impulsive.”
At a sentencing hearing yesterday, Judge Martin Joy said Cottle, of Wadhurst, East Sussex, had endangered many lives and had to be dealt with severely to deter copycats.
Following the sentence Jonathan Palmer, chief executive of MSV, the owners of Brands Hatch circuit, said he was “pleased that “a tough stance” had been taken.