Bohemian Rhapsody Singer Convicted: YouTube Sensation Wears Viking Helmet To Court

The Bohemian Rhapsody singer has been convicted of impaired driving months after becoming a YouTube sensation for his rendition of the song caught on a police cruiser’s dashboard camera.

Robert Wilkinson was in the back of an RCMP police car earlier this year on suspicion of drunk driving when he burst out into an enthusiastic rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody. His performance was captured on the cruiser’s internal camera, and police later sent footage of the arrest to the Bohemian Rhapsody singer as evidence for his trial, The Associated Press reported.

Wilkinson’s friends saw the performance and pushed him to post in on YouTube, where it has gained close to nine million views.

As the Bohemian Rhapsody singer was convicted, a judge determined that he will have to pay a $1,400 fine and be prohibited from driving for one year.

Before the Bohemian Rhapsody singer was convicted, he tried to put up an impassioned but unusual defense. Representing himself at trial, he tried to argue that the arrest was a violation of his Charter rights. Though the self-representation was odd enough, the Bohemian Rhapsody singer’s outfit was the kicker — he wore sunglasses, a horned Viking helmet and a NASA t-shirt that read: “I need my space.”

The video showed the bearded Wilkinson singing along to the six-minute Queen favorite, getting animated as he sang the sad parts. Throughout the performance the arresting officer calmly asks Wilkinson to calm down, seemingly unimpressed by the impromptu performance.

Though the Bohemian Rhapsody singer was convicted, he did not leave the incident entirely empty handed. The cable network TrueTV paid the unemployed karaoke singer $1,000 so the footage can be used on the show World’s Dumbest Criminals, the Toronto Globe and Mail reported.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fqymcJRSbxI