Homeless man jailed for breaking into Buckingham Palace
A homeless man who broke into Buckingham Palace last month before falling asleep on a glass cabinet in Queen Elizabeth II’s London residence has been jailed for trespassing.
Steven Lawlor scaled metal railings to enter the grounds of the palace on July 16 and tore down poster boards and a display cabinet to use as bedding, Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London was told on Friday.
Security staff spotted the 44-year-old sleeping near the south-east corner of the palace on CCTV in the early hours of the day before he was arrested. The queen was not in residence at the time.
Lawlor, who appeared in court via video link and pleaded guilty to criminal damage and trespassing on a protected site, was jailed for 28 days for trespassing and 21 days for criminal damage, to be served concurrently.ALSO READ | 18 killed in Pakistan as bus collides with oil tanker
Deputy Senior District Judge Tan Ikram told him, “You knew where you were entering, you would know the impact in terms of security, the costs and consequences in relation to your actions. You have 70 previous convictions and this adds to your appalling catalogue of offending.”
Lawlor’s previous convictions are mostly for criminal damage and one attempted robbery last year. Most recently he was handed a 16-month sentence for throwing a toxic substance at a prison guard at Maid stone Crown Court in May.
Lawlor told the court he had picked his palace sleeping spot to “protect me from the road”. His lawyer, Stephanie Dale, said her client had drug abuse issues and was “sorry for causing anyone concern” but “his only intention was to sleep”.ALSO READ | Asian countries denounce ‘real threat’ of global trade war
There have been a series of minor intrusions into the iconic London palace grounds in recent times, including in August last year when a 22-year-old man was arrested trying to climb a security fence and in December 2017 when a man aged 24 was caught attempting to scale a wall within the perimeter fence.
For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
More from World
EUFSC President Konstantin Ishkhanov “Thrilled†to Announce Opening of InClassica Festival in Dubai
Maiden Al-Mohed Al-Hindi Exercise Set to Begin Between Indian Navy and Saudi Arabia Navy
Excellent job by India in reducing COVID-19 related deaths by clamping lockdown: Indian-American doc
Pak summons Indian diplomat over expulsion of 2 High Commission officials on espionage charges
Trump postpones G7 summit, wants India, others to join group