A man caused more than £24,000 worth of damage when he smashed his car into the main entrance of Buckingham Palace. Johnny Scott appeared “fidgety and dazed” as he ploughed his VW Polo into the south centre gate in the early hours of March 9 last year.
Westminster Magistrates Court heard the 26-year-old was arrested by armed cops before being taken to hospital. No members of the royal family were in residence when the crash occurred, a palace spokesman confirmed at the time.
The court was told the collision caused £24,493 worth of damage to the palace’s black iron gates. Scott, of Dalewood Close in Hornchurch, east London, appeared at court on Thursday, January 16, and pleaded guilty to a criminal damage charge.
READ MORE: ‘Armageddon alert’ to be sent to millions of UK mobile phones
Prosecutor Laila Cunningham said: “He did appear fidgety and dazed and said ‘I have to fix this and these c****’. He did not elaborate on these statements. He is of good character.”
District judge Annabel Pilling told Scott he may be unlikely to face prison, and a community-based penalty could be an “appropriate” sentence. The Mirror reports she said: “You have entered a guilty plea today. You will be given credit for that as you have given a guilty plea at a very early opportunity.”
Medical reports have been ordered ahead of Scott’s next appearance at the court on February 13. He was released on conditional bail.