SINGAPORE: The British national who entered the track midway through the Singapore Grand Prix was sentenced on Tuesday (Nov 3) to six weeks' jail for committing a rash act.

Yogvitam Pravin Dhokia, 27, was arrested after he found his way onto the track in the Marina Bay Street Circuit, and charged on Sep 22 for committing a rash act that “endangered personal safety of the drivers”. He was also charged with criminal trespass and this was taken into consideration during sentencing.

District Judge Chay Yuan Fatt said the six weeks' jail sentence was justified given the circumstances of the offences. The act was not only "rash, but selfish and foolhardy", he said.

CCTV footage released hours after the night race on Sep 20 showed Dhokia entering the track via a gap in the fence. Dhokia then crossed the track and walked against the flow of traffic before climbing back over the barrier.

The court was shown a video that Dhokia recorded while on the track. The judge said that the video captured by Dhokia and the manner in which he entered the track showed that "he was quite determined to breach the track" and could not have been a lapse of judgement. His act affected the race itself and was not only a risk to himself, but the drivers as well, said the judge.

Initially unable to post bail of S$15,000, Dhokia was eventually let out on a personal bond of the same amount on Oct 2, with the requirement that he report to the investigation officer daily, and reside with his parents, who had travelled to Singapore.

However, at his next hearing on Oct 16, Dhokia elected to go back into remand, according to his lawyer Jeremy Mark Pereira.