Victorious Boat Club President spends night in cells
Barney Williams
Barney Williams, President of the victorious Dark Blue boat team, was arrested and fined two nights after his team’s win at the 152nd Boat Race while acting in a drunk and disorderly manner. Williams, 29, was observed by CCTV in the early hours of the 5th April vandalizing a bicycle on Oxford High Street. An unidentified 22 year-old from Oxford Brookes was also arrested after being caught defecating in a litter bin, while a third friend, another member of the Oxford crew, was not arrested.
Williams was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage, while his companion was arrested for public order offences. The pair, who had been celebrating at Thirst Bar on Park End Street before their arrest at 3.20am, were each served an £80 fixed penalty notice and spent the night in St Aldate’s Police Station. Williams, speaking after his release, said, “It was a little bit of an exuberant celebration after the Boat Race.
A few of us went out and ended up in Thirst, where the owners are supporters of the team, and we had a great time there. We had a little too much to drink, were not in any condition to get ourselves home and thankfully the wonderful police in Oxford made sure we ended up in a safer place than the side of the road. “I think there is a part of me that realises the police could have been doing better things than dealing with me.
My actions took away from their efforts to provide protection and I wish it hadn’t happened.” Williams, a Canadian Olympic silver medallist and Law student at Jesus College, lives with his wife and their son, Tavin. The Oxford crew eam won the 2006 Boat Race in a time of 18 minutes and 26 seconds by a margin of five lengths, the University’s fourth win in five years.
An apologetic statement, issued through the University Press Office, expressed Williams’ regret and assured, “I’m now back in training and looking forward to continuing with my studies.” The team, many of whom stayed with family immediately after their success, plan to re-unite when term starts and continue the celebrations.
Friend and crew mate Robin Ejsmond-Frey commented, “I’m pretty sure it won’t be the last of the boisterous festivities: after the win random girls came in and took photos of us in the showers.” Thames Valley Police later said, “Three men were seen on city centre CCTV to be acting in a drunk and disorderly fashion on the High Street in Oxford at 3.20am this morning (05/04). One of men, aged 29, had caused damage to a bicycle and was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage.
A 22-year-old man was arrested for public order offences. Both were dealt with by way of an £80 Fixed Penalty Notice.” A spokesman added, “Criminal damage within Oxford, and in particular the city centre, is a growing problem and will not be tolerated. The CCTV system recorded a 40 minute trail of littering, deliberate criminal damage and at times behaviour that put other people at risk.
“This is in addition to various acts of drunken behaviour that I would imagine they will want to forget. It is clear that they were unaware that they were being filmed.”
20th Apr 2006