Teenager wanders into Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort through tunnel from beach

Student pleads guilty to entering and staying in restricted area while president was staying at property for Thanksgiving

A student gained access to Donald Trump's Florida residence while the president was staying at the property after sneaking through a tunnel leading from a nearby beach.

Mark Lindblom, who was 18 at the time, spent 20 minutes wandering around the communal areas of Mr Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort before he was arrested.

Secret Service agents approached the teenager after becoming suspicious that he was not a member of the golf club.

He did not meet Mr Trump or the first lady during the incident, which occurred the day after Thanksgiving last November.

On Tuesday, Lindblom pleaded guilty to "knowingly" entering and staying in a restricted area and was sentenced to one year probation and a $25 (£20) fine.

"Upon unlawfully entering the property, the individual walked to a common area of the club open to members and his actions appeared inconsistent with that of a member or a guest," a Secret Service statement said.

"At that time, Secret Service personnel approached him and he was detained without further incident."

They said a "layered security system in place at the club" meant Lindblom did not come into contact with the president and said he had passed screening for weapons that initially allowed him entry to the property.

A lawyer for Lindblom described it as a "youthful indiscretion" and said his client had "nothing but the highest respect for the job that the United States Secret Service does".

In April, a Chinese woman was arrested as she tried to gain access to the Mar-a-Lago property after allegedly telling Secret Service agents she was a member there to use the pool.

Yujing Zhang was found carrying several electronic devices, including a USB stick containing “malicious malware”. That raised suspicions among investigators Ms Zhang may have been spying, local media reported.