Wigan teenager avoids jail for breaking free-climbing ban

Adam Lockwood, 19, was handed a three month jail term - suspended for two years - at Manchester County Court for contempt of court, after he was caught scaling the food court at the city centre shopping complex during a Black Lives Matter protest on June 7.

His antics were in violation of a three-year banning order, imposed last year by Manchester City Council to prevent him from carrying out such stunts, which also included surfing trams and trains.

The court heard Lockwood had breached this order three times since it was handed down last summer.

His Arndale stunt was followed up on June 16 when he dangled over the edge of a 600ft high balcony at The Madison in Canary Wharf, London, the court heard.

Footage from both of the urban exploration stunts were uploaded to his "The Little Nuisance" YouTube channel, which he was also banned from doing due to the clips depicting trespassing on private property.

The court also heard that Lockwood left an abusive message on a Manchester City Council phone line, in which he said a council worker should be "shanked up."

According to the BBC, Lockwood's defence said his YouTube channel was partly to blame for the teenager's behaviour, saying: "It's all about YouTube hits. YouTube pay."

The Wigan Post first featured the young man in the summer of 2018, after he scaled the dilapidated Pagefield building in Swinley and took a selfie clinging on with one hand from the chimney, with the ground 300ft below him.

Since then, he has also taken his death-defying stunts across Europe, shooting videos atop buildings and cranes in countries including Spain, France and Italy.

He caught the attention of Spanish authorities last year after scaling a building in Levante beach, Benidorm.

In the video, he could be seen climbing the building and says “quick little free solo” as he clinged onto the building with no safety equipment.

He then recorded himself in the back of a police car, saying “there’s no handles to get out and he’s got my GoPro, I really hope he doesn’t delete this footage because it’s actually quite funny”.

He has previously filmed himself dangling from a gigantic crane in Paris.

In a previous interview with the Wigan Post, he said: “I like climbing things and heights, I know if I fall I’ll probably die, but that’s why I’m careful.

“Accidents do happen, you see it all the time with people climbing buildings. I just hope I never have an accident, you know. But it’s not going to stop me from doing it.”