Less than three minutes after kickoff on Saturday, stewards prevented 29-year-old Ukrainian Yevhenii Lubnenko from entering the field while he was sporting a T-shirt bearing the vlogger’s name, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard on Monday.
The Uber driver entered a guilty plea to entering the playing area during a football game in violation of Section 4 of the Football (Offences) Act 1991. The driver was unable to provide a UK address, stating, “I do not remember, I am here for a few days.”
Lubnenko, who has been in custody since the Borussia Dortmund vs. Real Madrid game on Saturday, disclosed that the challenge had been issued by a vlogger with an alleged Moscow headquarters.
Mellstroy, the vlogger, had given the money to anyone who broke into the pitch while sporting a T-shirt bearing his name.
Images from the match showed two invaders running onto the pitch with Mellstroy emblazoned across their chests in black and white.
“The real villain is the Russian who is offering around $300,000 in the UK to do what you regard as a prank,” District Judge Michael Snow said to Lubnenko. He’s not here, so I can’t punish him.
