‘Astoundingly stupid’ YouTuber climbed onto roof of Anfield to watch Liverpool match

A daredevil YouTuber and his friend who climbed onto the roof of Anfield to watch Liverpool’s Champions League match against Real Madrid have been described as ‘astoundingly stupid young men’ by a district judge.

Kain Hogg and Stuart Parr donned high-vis jackets and clambered onto the roof of the Anfield Road End via building works and filmed themselves, while a crowd of 52,000 watched the match below.

A court heard that a drone was sent up to check out the situation during the match on February 21 and the decision was made to leave them there on safety grounds. After the game a police officer climbed a ladder and brought them down to be arrested.

YouTuber Hogg, 23, and Parr appeared before District Judge Wendy Lloyd on Wednesday who told the pair: “It was a ludicrously dangerous activity.”

In court: Ed Rattigan, prosecuting, told Liverpool Magistrates’ Court that during the game, at 9.20 pm, two men in high vis jackets were spotted on the roof of one of the stands.

A drone was sent up and the decision was made to leave them there on public safety grounds. After they were brought down they confirmed they did not have tickets and were arrested.

“It was a high profile event and the risk to the defendants was obvious and the risk to other supporters was significant if they had fallen onto the crowd standing below,” said Mr Rattigan.

Charges: Hogg and Parr, 21, both of Viola Street, Bootle, both pleaded guilty to obtaining services dishonestly, causing a public nuisance and being found in enclosed premises.

What was said: After DJ Lloyd described them as “astoundingly stupid young men”, their solicitor, Marcella Salter, said, “They concede they were extremely foolish not only for their own personal safety but the safety of spectators. Fortunately nobody was actually hurt.”

She said that they are both unemployed and wished to apologise for their behaviour. She said they no longer engage in their “hobby as they realise the potential risk not only to themselves but the public at large.”

DJ Lloyd said that if a spectator had pointed them out to other fans it could have sparked trouble in the huge crowd.

She said that she accepted that Hogg, who has previous convictions, and Parr, who has none, had been polite and co-operative when arrested.

“You are perhaps still comparatively young and have a lot to learn but your behaviour on this occasion was dangerous and outrageous.”

She said that the outcome that night could have been different but “it seems only fair I bear in mind what did happen not what could have happened.”

Verdict: DJ Lloyd imposed a 12 month community sentence and ordered them to carry out 280 hours unpaid work and 15 days of rehabilitation activities. They also each have to pay costs totalling £234.

Youtuber reaction: Hogg, formerly of Kendal, claimed after the incident, “Tickets were sold out so the roof was our only option.”

Hogg, who records climbing videos for his YouTube channel, said they got into the building and waited for two hours before the game to get on the roof.

He added, ”When we were forced to come down we were surrounded by about 30 policemen and we spent 20 hours in a cell before being charged. We didn’t mean to upset anyone, we just wanted to watch our team play football in the Champion’s League.”