A man who drove his car into the gates of Buckingham Palace, resulting in nearly £25,000 worth of damage, was warned at his sentencing that “you are quite fortunate not to have been shot.”
Johnny Scott, 26, from Hornchurch in east London, had earlier admitted to causing criminal damage by crashing his VW Polo into the South Centre Gate of the palace on March 9.
During the proceedings at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, District Judge Neeta Minhas remarked, “You have inflicted significant damage on a site of immense cultural significance in the UK.”
Scott received a 12-month community service order and was prohibited from entering the vicinity of Buckingham Palace.
Armed officers apprehended Scott at the scene right after the collision, and the court was informed that his car was later destroyed.
In his defense, Aamina Khalid explained that her client had experienced a “psychotic episode” at the time of the incident, having suffered a relapse of his bipolar disorder, which impaired his understanding of his actions.
Ms. Khalid confirmed that Scott was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs during the incident.
She conveyed to the court that he felt “deep remorse” for his actions and that the behavior was “entirely out of character” for him.
In addition to the community service, Scott was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work within a year and to make £5,000 in compensation payments over two years.
A palace spokesperson confirmed that no members of the Royal Family were present at the time of the incident.
