A group of men who staged a fake robbery at the National Portrait Gallery and Tate Gallery as part of an elaborate YouTube prank have been jailed.
Dramatic CCTV footage released today shows members of the public fleeing in terror from the National Portrait Gallery shortly after 15:30hrs on 5 July 2015 when five men burst in with their faces covered and began shouting and screaming. The men then turned to leave the gallery with framed artwork, giving the impression of a robbery. No robbery had, however taken place. The men had entered the gallery with artwork props which they displayed as they made off. They proceeded to do the same at the Tate Gallery later that afternoon.
Four of the five men were arrested on the day of the incident for public order offences and pleaded guilty to an offence under Section 4 Public Order Act 1986, namely causing fear and provocation of violence. They were jailed today, Monday, 16 May at City of London Magistrates’ Court.
Daniel Raymond Marcus Jarvis, 27 (03.06.88) of Turner House, Whitehill Road, Gravesend, Kent was jailed for 20 weeks for his role in the National Portrait Gallery incident and eight weeks for his involvement in the Tate Gallery offence. Both will run concurrently.
Endrit Ferizolli, 20 (24.06.95) of Wakemans Hill Avenue, Brent was jailed for 16 weeks for his role in the National Portrait Gallery incident and eight weeks for his involvement in the Tate Gallery offence. Both will run concurrently at a Youth Offending Institute.
Ebenezer Mensah, 29 (17.09.86) of Sumner Road, SE15 was jailed for 18 weeks for his role in the National Portrait Gallery incident and eight weeks for his involvement in the Tate Gallery offence. Both will run concurrently.
Helder Gomes, 23 (23.05.92) of Grantham Road, Lambeth was jailed for 18 weeks for his role in the National Portrait Gallery incident and eight weeks for his involvement in the Tate Gallery offence. Both will run concurrently.
Dan Vahn Lee, 31 (07.08.84) of Belham Walk, Southwark was jailed in March for 12 weeks for his involvement in the National Portrait Gallery incident.
Detective Constable Anthony Parker, from the Met’s Public Order Crime Team, led the investigation. He said: “The actions of these five men was outrageous. To go into busy public places wearing masks shouting and screaming at a time of heightened awareness of the terrorism threat facing the UK is deplorable.
“The group terrified those visiting the galleries. It is only by pure chance that no one was injured or suffered serious health issues as they fled in what the judge described as a “stampede”. All five men now have a number of weeks in jail to consider just how unfunny their stunts actually were.”
+ Two other men, aged 23 and 30, arrested in connection with the offences were released with no further action.