Superbowl streaker revels in court fame

More than 70,000 people caught Mark Roberts’ last performance in Houston. Only six will be needed for the next one.

Roberts, the 39-year-old Scouser who shed a phoney referee’s uniform on the field at the Super Bowl and danced a jig in nothing but a thong, intends to go to trial on June 21 on a trespassing charge.

“I wonder how many witnesses they’ll call?” Roberts said today while watching defence lawyer Sharon Leaven set his trial date with a county court-at-law judge. “I mean, they could call tens of thousands.”

His case will be heard by a six-person jury. If convicted of the misdemeanour, Roberts could spend up to six months in jail and pay a fine of up to €1,800.

His performance on February 1 was clearly visible to fans shortly before the start of the second half but was not shown by CBS TV, which was still reeling from Janet Jackson’s surprise breast-baring during the musical interlude.

Plenty of other cameras captured him, however, and his stunt was shown repeatedly on television and on the Internet after the game.

Roberts does not deny he was the one who darted onto the field in a tear-away striped uniform, stripped near the kicking tee before the second half began and started dancing while displaying a skin-borne advertisement for an online casino.

Police were slow to react, and it was New England Patriots linebacker Matt Chatham who felled Roberts before officers carried him off the field.

The Liverpool man’s Web sponsor carries images of the incident on its Web site and Roberts does the same on his own Internet page, www.thestreaker.org.uk.

Roberts and Levine, who works for famed lawyer Richard ”Racehorse” Haynes, intend to argue no one told Roberts he was not allowed on the field.

His court appearance today came two days after a man pulled a similar stunt at Minute Maid Park during the Houston Astros’ game against the St Louis Cardinals. One difference was that the baseball streaker was naked.

“That’s rude isn’t it?” Roberts said with a grin. “The man’s got no class.”

Police said Roberts got into the Super Bowl – and through several layers of security – with a legitimate ticket. He wore a ref’s uniform under civilian clothes, and both outfits were held together with Velcro to allow for a quick strip.

According to his site, Roberts has streaked more than 300 times. He has cases pending in Paris and back home in Liverpool, and his Super Bowl moment was his first North American venture.