An Animal Rising activist has been spared jail after running on to the track at the Epsom Derby and “endangering” police who dragged him away just before the horses galloped past.
Ben Newman, 32, was filmed running on to the course as the major race began on June 3.
After pleading guilty at Guildford Crown Court on Thursday to causing public nuisance, he was criticised by the judge for risking the safety of police and security guards who dragged him to one side with a minute to spare.
The protest happened after the Jockey Club, which owns Epsom Downs, was granted an injunction banning the Animal Rising group, of which Newman is a supporter, from intervening in the event.
He was produced from custody and appeared in court dressed in a grey sweatshirt.
Footage played at court showed Newman running on to the track as police and security guards darted after him before wrestling him to the ground and removing him.
About a minute later, the horses sprinted past, prosecutor Wendy Cottee told the court.
She said: “The Derby was due to start at 3.30pm. Horses were let out just after that.
“This defendant then ran across the track. The horses were around a minute away.”
She said: “He was apprehended and taken off the track.
“The defendant admits that the public were angry with him – several were jeering at him.”
Ms Cottee described the incident as an “orchestrated and organised action” and read a text sent by the Animal Rising group to supporters prior to the race which stated: “We need as many people as possible to go on to the tracks.
“The more of us there are, the more disruption we can cause.”
Newman was one of 31 people arrested on the day of the race, including 12 on the racecourse grounds, Surrey Police said afterwards.
Animal Rising has previously described him as a brave and selfless person who spent years “fighting for a better future for animals”.
Judge Mark Ockelton sentenced Newman to an 18-week prison sentence suspended for two years and fined him a total of £1,356.
When Nick Goss, mitigating, described Newman as a “well-intentioned young man” who was “passionate” about animal rights, the judge interjected, saying: “You say he is well-intentioned – that is not my consideration.
“The reality of what he did is that a number of public servants had to deal with him with a crowd of horses running towards them.
“This endangered a huge number of public servants.”
Sentencing Newman, Judge Ockelton said: “Despite your claim, there was a clear danger to the police and security staff.
“There you were on the track, the horses were coming, and they had to get rid of you.
“You couldn’t predict how long that would take.
“There was no disruption but that was up to their competence, not your planning.”
On Wednesday, Home Secretary Suella Braverman held a summit at Downing Street with police and sports bodies including the Lawn Tennis Association, the Premier League and the England and Wales Cricket Board to discuss plans to step up security at summer sporting events.
That afternoon, Just Stop Oil protesters threw orange confetti and jigsaw pieces on to court 18 at Wimbledon, stopping play twice.
It came after members of the group invaded the pitch at Lord’s last week during cricket’s Second Ashes Test.
