World Cup streaker: 'Stupidity can't be legislated against'

A streaker runs across the pitch during the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup match between England and Scotland at Hagley Oval in February. Photo / Getty Images

A sober student who streaked naked at a Cricket World Cup match has been granted a discharge without conviction by a judge who found that "stupidity can't be legislated against".

Pitch invader Fergus Watts, 21, admitted disrupting the England vs Scotland game at Christchurch's Hagley Oval on February 23.

Defence counsel Andrew McCormick applied for a discharge without conviction when he appeared for sentencing at Christchurch District Court this afternoon.

Pitch invasion, under the Major Events Management Act, is an offence that carries a maximum penalty of a fine of up to $5000 or imprisonment for up to three months.

Mr McCormick said Watts was not intoxicated but had been "egged on" by mates to streak near the end of the match when Scotland was batting and "not having any chance of winning".

"It was suggested to him, foolishly he did it," Mr McCormick, adding that it was an incident "lacking in culpability but full of stupidity".

Mr McCormick argued that a conviction would pose "a real risk" to Watts' future engineering career and also affect his ability to play hockey "semi-professionally".

Police prosecutor Chris Hunt, however, argued against a discharge without conviction.

He said there will always be an impact on people who make "wrong decisions", and did not believe that a conviction would stop Watts from getting a job or travelling overseas.

Judge David Saunders said organisers of international sporting tournaments should be protected from the "unwarranted attention" of "these stupid activites".

Players should also feel secure while playing on the sports field, he said.

However, to convict Watts for "one dumb mistake" would have been out of proportion to the offence, the judge found.

He ordered Watts to pay a donation to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Trust within 14 days.

Serial streaker Ephraim James McIntyre, 26, who stripped down to his socks and ran onto the field during the New Zealand v Sri Lanka opening game of the tournament at Hagley Oval on February 14 was fined $1500 for what a judge called his "idiotic and exhibitionist" stunt.

British visitor Joseph Brook, 23, who also invaded the pitch during the Sri Lankan game, was convicted at Queenstown District Court and will be sentenced in August.