A Leeds man accused of throwing a plastic bottle on to the track at the start of the men’s Olympic 100m final will stand trial in January.
Ashley Gill-Webb, of Cornmill Crescent, South Milford, was arrested after the incident at London’s Olympic Stadium in August, which led Dutch world judo champion Edith Bosch to intervene.
Gill-Webb pleaded not guilty to using threatening words or behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress under the Public Order Act.
The 34-year-old also pleaded not guilty to an alternative charge of using threatening abusive or insulting words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress, under the Public Order Act, when he appeared at Thames Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
The court heard that he has been receiving psychiatric treatment at Bootham Park Hospital, in York, after being sectioned under the Mental Health Act, but was released on September 7.
Thomas Barley, defending, told the court: “It seems now that this is largely to be a case where the actual physical behaviour of Mr Gill-Webb is not going to be in dispute.”
Gill-Webb will stand trial at Stratford Magistrates’ Court on January 3.
District Judge Jacqueline Comyns granted him conditional bail providing he stays at his home address or Bootham Park Hospital, except on January 2, when he can stay with relatives in Church Crookham, Hampshire, before his trial.
Ms Bosch was originally due to be a witness in the trial, but now no prosecution witnesses are likely to be required.
After the incident, Bosch described how she was standing close by when a green plastic drinks bottle was thrown from the stands behind the start line.
The 32-year-old judoka tweeted: “A drunken spectator threw a bottle onto the track! I HAVE BEATEN HIM... Unbelievable.”