Beau William Rollings: Metallica fan who climbed Optus Stadium tower cops lifetime venue ban and $1000 fine

A 20-year-old man who scaled the central tower at Metallica’s epic Perth concert has been banned from Optus Stadium for life and fined over the dangerous antics. Beau William Loch Rollings, from the Bunbury suburb of Carey Park, and Rory Hugh Culbert, 23, from Australind, climbed up the tower during the heavy metal band’s two-hour set on November 1. Perth Magistrates Court was told on Tuesday that the pair had jumped over security fencing about 10.30pm. They stayed up the tower, at a height of 10-50m, for about 20 minutes before climbing down. Magistrate Ruth Dineen said “something that seemed funny at the time” had big consequences. Both men were charged with trespass by summons and pleaded guilty at their first hearing. The police prosecutor said the pair gave “no explanation” for their conduct. Their mobiles, containing footage of the incident, were seized. Defence counsel Rachael Gemmell said it was “just stupid behaviour” that Rollings did not intend to repeat. He now won’t be able to, given his lifetime ban from the venue. The magistrate said it was “an incredibly stupid thing to do and a good way to ruin your night out”, and had turned the men’s night into an expensive escapade. Ms Dineen agreed to the lawyer’s request for Rollings’ phone to be returned — rather than destroyed as the prosecution had sought. She also accepted Ms Gemmell’s argument that the charge had been a “sobering experience” for the young man, granting a spent conviction. When asked, Rollings told the magistrate that he had been drinking before the tower climb. Ms Dineen fined Rollings $1000 and ordered him to pay $308.80 in court costs. Rollings declined to speak with Seven West Media outside court. Culbert was handed a similar penalty in the same court on Monday and was also banned from the stadium for life.