Joyrider who gatecrashed high-speed motor race at Brands Hatch is jailed

Jack Cottle admitted to Maidstone Crown Court it was "a foolish and immature prank" and he "should not have let it go that far", but was sentenced to eight months in jail today (November 17).

He had pleaded guilty to being a public nuisance on October 10.

Judge Martin Joy said his actions were "premeditated and inexcusable".

He said: "Unless this sort of behaviour is dealt with clearly others may be tempted to do what is called copycat offending.

"The footage was widely disseminated and the dangers caused were not minor, they were major."

YouTube footage of Cottle's actions played to the court showed the 22-year-old driving into Brands Hatch circuit's public parking area, bypassing security checks and cruising past mechanics in the pit lane before making his way onto the track itself.

Cottle, a builder from Wadhurst, East Sussex, claimed he had been "dared to do it" but he was "sorry".

His friend Zac Copson filmed the prank on a mobile phone, recording them both laughing hysterically, and uploaded the footage to YouTube where it has been viewed more than one million times.

They used a VW Polo 1.2 litre car which belonged to 18-year-old grammar schoolgirl Saskia Fisk, who knew the pair, but she did not realise Cottle would drive it onto the motor racing track which used to stage Formula One grand prix.

She could be heard on the film pleading with Cottle to stop and get off the track, as specially-adapted VW Beetle cars taking part in a four-hour endurance race sped past them at up to 100mph.

Despite the stunt being slammed as 'reckless and stupid' by many viewers of the video, Cottle initially defended his actions on his Facebook page, insisting he was "proud to be different".

On another Facebook page called 'Full Throttle Cottle' he boasted it was "quite funny".

Judge Joy said: "Your deliberate behaviour not only endangered your own life but those of your passengers, competitors, emergency services, marshals, stewards and anyone else who was nearby."

Alisa Williamson, mitigating, said: "His family have described him as a warm, kind, considerate, polite, loveable person and a soulful young man.

"But this is someone who lacks maturity, is easily led and from his teens into his twenties he has shown poor judgement, recklessness and on occasions been overly aggressive."

The court also heard Cottle had a difficult childhood and had been affected by the death of his father in November 2012.

He blew kisses to his mum and girlfriend in the public gallery before he was taken to the cells.

After sentencing, Jonathan Palmer, chief executive of MSV (the owner of Brands Hatch), said: "I am really pleased that Kent Police and the court have quite rightly taken such a tough stance on this deliberately reckless act, which endangered the lives of the drivers racing on circuit and the volunteer track marshals, not to mention Jack Cottle and his passengers. 

"His idiotic and selfish behaviour – aggravated by his unrepentant attitude in subsequent media coverage - received much immediate condemnation. 

"His conviction and prison sentence will serve to reinforce the message that this kind of antisocial behaviour is not only stupid, but will lead to prosecution."

Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS South East, Jaswant Narwal, added: "Anyone who has seen the video of what can only be called a stupid and reckless stunt will realise how terrifying this must have been for his passengers, with one clearly heard screaming and begging Cottle to stop, as he drives around the track.

"It was only sheer luck that he did not cause a serious accident through his foolish actions.

"It is simply not acceptable to think that in the pursuit of selfish cheap thrills, the enjoyment and more importantly the safety of others at a family event can just be ignored.”