Trenton Oldfield Jailed For Six Months For Disrupting Oxford Cambridge Boat Race

Boat Race Protester Trenton Oldfield Jailed For Six Months
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A protester who disrupted this year's Boat Race by swimming into the path of the crews has been jailed for six months.

Trenton Oldfield was also ordered to pay £750 costs, was watched by millions of television viewers as he halted the annual race on the Thames between Oxford and Cambridge universities on April 7.

He was found guilty at London's Isleworth Crown Court last month of causing a public nuisance and returned to the same court on Friday to be sentenced.

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Trenton Oldfield outside his trial

During his trial, he told a jury at London's Isleworth Crown Court that the event was a symbol of elitism in government.

The annual contest, won by Cambridge, was described as one of the most dramatic in the history of the race after the wet suit-clad swimmer was spotted in the vessels' path.

The drama of the race continued after the interruption when the blade of an Oxford oar broke and the crew's bowman Alex Woods collapsed at the end and was taken to hospital.

In court, Judge Anne Molyneux said all options were open, including jail, when Oldfield is sentenced on October 19.

During the trial Oldfield told the jury the race was a symbol of elitism in Government and that London "has the highest inequality in the western world".

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Trenton Oldfield after his swim in front of theOxford-Cambridge boatrace

He said: "(The boat race is) a symbol of a lot of issues in Britain around class, 70% of Government pushing through very significant cuts are Oxford or Cambridge graduates.

"It was a symbolic gesture to these kind of issues."

Oldfield, an Australian who moved to the UK in 2001, decided to make the protest after learning of Government plans to "sell off" the NHS and "snoop" on electronic communications, and after hearing encouragement given to "dob in" people planning protests during the Olympics.

Judge Molyneux said Oldfield ruined the race for everyone.

"You caused delay and disruption to it and to the members of the public who had gone to watch it and to enjoy the spectacle of top athletes competing," she said.

"The rowers had trained for many months.

"You had no regard for the sacrifices they had made or for their rigorous training when you swam into their paths."

Adding that Oldfield's actions had endangered his life and those of others, the judge said: "You decided that you had the right to stop members of the public enjoying a sporting competition which they had chosen to go and watch.

"You did not have that right. You did nothing to address inequality by giving yourself the right to spoil the enjoyment of others.

"In doing so, you acted without regard for equality and contrary to the meaning of it.

"You made your decision to sabotage the race based on the membership or perceived membership of its participants of a group to which you took exception.

"That is prejudice. Every individual and group of society is entitled to respect.

"It is a necessary part of a liberal and tolerant society that no one should be targeted because of a characteristic with which another takes issue. Prejudice in any form is wrong.

"Your offence was planned. It was deliberate. It was disproportionate. It was dangerous. You have shown no regret."