Prankster "Jarvo" Who Invaded Pitch During India vs England Oval Test Held Guilty Of Aggravated Trespassing
Updated - 15 Sep 2022, 12:40 AM
Well-known YouTube prankster Jarvo69 or Daniel Jarvis has been found guilty of aggravated trespassing during the 2021 Oval Test match between England and India where he had collided with England batter, Jonny Bairstow.
The 34-year-old who is a self-proclaimed ‘the only white Test player for India’, became a nuisance for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), as he made a mockery of their security arrangements by repeatedly breaching it by entering the field of play multiple times during the 2021 Test series between England and India.
He had first breached security at Lord’s during the second Test when India was fielding, as he wore an India Test white uniform and took position to bowl. He then appeared again, wearing Test whites similar to those of the Indian team’s with Jarvo and number 69 on the back, during the third Test in Headingley.
Daniel Jarvis (Jarvo) Found Guilty Of Aggravated Trespass By Croydon Magistrates’ Court’s District Judge Daniel Benjamin
Jarvo once again struck at the fourth Test in Oval and even tried to bowl a delivery to Ollie Pope and collided with non-striker Jonny Bairstow in his runup. He was again caught and removed from the field of play, while many questioned his antics saying that it was no more a joke, but a serious breach of security.
Jarvis, who has a YouTube account with more than 170,000 subscribers, was arrested over the stunt and later charged with aggravated trespass.
At Croydon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, District Judge Daniel Benjamin said: “The issue in the case is straight forward, namely whether he intended to disrupt the Test match. I find Mr Jarvis guilty of aggravated trespass.”
The judge and the court were shown footage of him running onto the pitch, plus a video he recorded showing him hiding in a toilet before sprinting onto the field after receiving a phone call telling him to go.
During cross-examination, prosecutor Nicola Grindey said: “You know when going on to an international cricket field they can’t continue to play while you’re on there. You had the cricket ball because your intention was to run on and effectively bowl the ball towards the wicket. When you ran out you could see one of the England players in full batting gear – you ran into him. You knew you weren’t allowed on the pitch because you have been on cricket pitches before and been asked to leave.”
Jarvis, who self-represented after his request to adjourn the case was dismissed, while he argued that he was not arrested the first two times and claimed that he wasn’t “breaking any law” and “no one has been prosecuted for these things before”.
Jarvis claimed he did not believe he was trespassing because he had a ticket, claiming people “run out naked” during games but do not get arrested.
The judge adjourned sentencing at the same court until 19 October, to allow for the preparation of pre-sentence reports.
