AMID the tombola and cake stalls. an uninvited guest made quite an impression at a church fete on Saturday.
Ben Entwhistle scaled a 6ft fence then strolled naked across the lawns at St John’s Church, Sandown’s annual event.
Entwhistle appeared before Island magistrates on Monday and pleaded guilty to assaulting PC Robert Power and a public order offence, but claimed he remembered nothing of his nude visit to St John the Evangelist Church, Carter Street, Sandown.
Shocked fete-goers spotted the naked Entwhistle, 21, as he walked down a path at the side of the church, before climbing over a high wooden gate.
Churchwarden and parochial church councillor Brenda Ellison said. "It must be 6ft high and has plenty of splinters.
"He didn’t run, he just strolled nonchalantly across the lawn and when I shouted 'what are you doing’, he gave me the V sign.
"I had thought about whipping off one of the tablecloths and telling him to cover himself up, but after he ignored me I just called the police."
Roger Fruen, prosecuting, said "The PC found him lying face down in the shade of a tree."
The police said he was sunburned, indicating he had been naked for some time.
Entwhistle — who had only been released from jail three days earlier for a previous offence — jumped up into a boxer’s stance, foaming at the mouth, and attacked the officer who tried to draw his CS spray.
During the struggle, Entwhistle punched the officer in the head several times before he was handcuffed.
Entwhistle, who believed his drinks may have been spiked, said: "On Friday I went to a friend’s house and don’t remember anything until Sunday."
Magistrates jailed him for 16 weeks.