Aman was arrested on Sunday
night for trespassing on the grounds of the Queen’s London home,
Buckingham Palace, just days before the Platinum Jubilee weekend.
Connor Attridge, 28, from
Eastbourne, East Sussex allegedly walked through the vehicle gate of the Royal
Mews when it was opened for an authorized vehicle. He managed to step three to
five metres into the royal grounds after refusing to stop when challenged by a
member of the household staff, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard on Tuesday.
The court heard how Mr.
Attridge, who has a facial tattoo reading “truly blessed”, told royal
staff: “I want to come in. I want to see the Queen.” He was promptly
ushered out of the gate and arrested.
The defendant appeared in the
dock on Tuesday charged with trespassing on a protected site on 29 May.
His defense Daniel Mullin said
his client suffers from mental health issues, did not use “stealth”
and had “no motive or desire to go further than he did”. “This
was at worst reckless and at best bordering on an accidental offence,” Mr.
Mullin said.
The case was adjourned to 28
June by district Judge Nina Tempia for the Crown Prosecution Service to obtain
consent from Attorney General Suella Braverman, which is required in cases
involving trespass on a protected site. Mr. Attridge was given bail with
conditions, including not being able to travel to London except to attend
court.
The arrest comes as the Queen,
who was holidaying in Balmoral at the time of the incident, is gearing up to
celebrate her Platinum Jubilee. Naturally, security has been heightened around
her London residence, which will play host to a number of Jubilee events,
starting with the Queen’s ceremonial birthday parade Trooping the Colour on
Thursday.
On Saturday evening, the Platinum
Party at the Palace will also be staged in the grounds of the palace and see
the likes of Queen, Alicia Keys, Elton John, George Ezra, and Craig David
perform.
This is not the first time the
Royal Mews, which house the royal family’s horses, have been the site of such
incidents. Just before Christmas, American tourist Joseph Huang Kang, 24, was
fined £200 after jumping over the fence into the Mews during a psychotic
episode.
Last May, Cameron Kalani, 44,
also scaled the palace fence and was caught with a 20cm kitchen knife and
cocaine in his bag when he was arrested.
