A French stuntman who specializes in scaling skyscrapers has been banned from climbing any building in the UK. Alain Robert, 56, was handed a 20-week prison sentence on Friday, suspended for two years, for scrambling up London's 201-metre Heron Tower. Mr Robert, dubbed "the French Spiderman," was also handed a $7,000 fine for disruption and for causing a "large scale" emergency response. Hundreds of people stopped in the street to watch him climb the building and a number of emergency services were called. Using his usual climbing method, Mr Robert ascended the London tower using only his bare hands. He never uses ropes or other safety equipment.
The judge who presided over Mr Robert's case told the climber: "You are demonstrably an accomplished climber, but there is always the danger that your actions could be imitated by those less proficient, with potentially fatal consequences." Another judge described the incident as a "publicity stunt". He pointed out that it appeared Robert had been sponsored to climb the building because he was wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the logo of a company. Robert was prepared for his arrest. When London Police apprehended him at the foot of the tower on Thursday, he immediately handed officers his passport and the telephone number of his lawyer.
The judge who presided over Mr Robert's case told the climber: "You are demonstrably an accomplished climber, but there is always the danger that your actions could be imitated by those less proficient, with potentially fatal consequences." Another judge described the incident as a "publicity stunt". He pointed out that it appeared Robert had been sponsored to climb the building because he was wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the logo of a company. Robert was prepared for his arrest. When London Police apprehended him at the foot of the tower on Thursday, he immediately handed officers his passport and the telephone number of his lawyer.
