4 weeks’ jail for Swedish exchange student who snuck into F1 VIP, race operations areas

SINGAPORE: A 22-year-old student from Sweden was caught trespassing during this year’s Formula 1 event, and even into the area where there were drivers and other VIPs.

Alkallas Karam, 23, was slapped with a four-week jail sentence on Monday (Dec 1), after he entered a guilty plea to two counts of criminal trespass. Another charge was also taken into consideration.

Karam was taking photos in the highly restricted pit areas when an auxiliary police officer accosted him, asking for his pass. When he was unable to produce one, or even a ticket to the event, his lies unfolded.

However, because of Karam’s claims that a gate to the exclusive Paddock Club was unlocked, some of the events of the Singapore Grand Prix were interrupted.

Trespassing incident

On the evening of Oct 4, Karam, who was in Singapore on a student pass, approached Gate 1 of the Circuit Park Area. He was asked by a volunteer for his ticket, and Karam said it was with a friend.

At first, the 17-year-old volunteer denied him entry, but after having asked to enter over and over again, the teenage volunteer felt sorry for him, relented, and allowed Karam to enter the F1 area.

He proceeded to the area behind the Paddock Club, which is highly restricted and controlled by security checks. However, a gate had no one guarding it, but was merely locked with a bicycle chain.

Karam did a search using his mobile phone on how to open the bicycle lock and somehow succeeded, gaining entrance to the Paddock Club. After he entered, he locked the gate again.

Gaining entrance, he found himself among the drivers and their guests. Instead of keeping a low profile, he video-called his sister, who recorded their conversation. A report in CNA says that the two are seen laughing on the recording while a driver passes by.

He then trespassed a third time when he entered the pit lane area, where race operations are held, and took pictures, which is when the auxiliary police officer caught him.

Karam lied to the officials, saying that he had a valid ticket and that the gate to the Paddock Club that he used had been unlocked. He also said he never tampered with the bicycle lock, but his phone’s browser history proved otherwise.

Karam’s actions caused the Singapore Grand Prix and Formula One Management to ensure the area was secure, as well as extra bomb sweeps to take place the following day.

The judge called his actions “an egregious case of criminal trespass,” calling them “socially irresponsible,” and adding that the fine proposed by his lawyer as a penalty would not be enough as a deterrent. /TISG

Read also: Thai celebrity appeals for help in finding S$400,000 watch stolen in SG during F1 weekend