An on-field platter stunt during a North Queensland Cowboys game has landed a fan in court.
Jack West Ashton, 22, jumped onto the 1300SMILES Stadium playing field during the Cowboys versus Bulldogs game on April 14, 2017.
He then proceeded to offer up savory platters to players on a dare, according to the Townsville Bulletin.
Ashton faced Townsville Magistrates Court where he was sentenced for the prank.
Jack West Ashton (pictured) jumped the fence at a Cowboys versus Bulldogs game and offered hors ‘doeuvres to the players on a dare
He was in the corporate box with his colleagues before taking a large tray of food and walking down a flight of stairs, the hearing heard.
Prosecutor Mark Fenlon explained that Ashton jumped the fence on to the field, where the substitute players were situated.
He then continued to walk along the field, offering the players food from the tray, which they declined.
Security began to approach Ashton, before he dropped the tray of food on the sideline, jumped the fence and disappeared into the crowd.
A short time after disappearing, he was found, arrested and taken to Kirwan Police Station.
Ashton was fined $1500 and was told his behaviour was ‘stupid’ and ‘idiotic’ by Magistrate Ross Mack
Mr Fenlon said Ashton told police that the stunt was a dare that was motivated by his workmates and found the sentencing to be ‘really strange’.
Magistrate Ross Mack fined Ashton $1500 for the incident, expressing that the only good thing about his ‘idiotic’ behaviour was that he hadn’t disrupted the game.
‘In what universe is it acceptable?’ Mr Mack asked Ashton, who replied ‘None, sir’.
Ashton was seated the corporate box with colleagues before taking a large tray of food and walking down a flight of stairs
‘Fortunately, in Australia, and particularly in Townsville, it’s open and you can reach across, you can feel a part of the game because you don’t have all this razor wire and barriers between you and the players.
‘But people who do idiotic things like you do put that at risk.’