A 39-year-old man has been sentenced to 32 weeks in prison for twice breaking into the grounds of Kensington Palace, the official residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children.
Derek Egan, from Hillingdon, pleaded guilty to two counts of trespassing on a protected site. When asked by the judge why he had gone to the palace, Egan bluntly replied, “Because I am a criminal.”
The incidents occurred in the days leading up to Christmas. Egan first climbed over a fence and entered the palace’s gardens on 22nd December, around 4 am. He was arrested and bailed, but returned the following day, breaching his bail conditions.
During the sentencing hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, the judge, Deputy Senior District Judge Tan Ikram, questioned Egan about his motivations. Egan stated that he was “happy as a criminal to follow whatever judgment” the court handed down.
The judge emphasised that the offences were “serious,” as trespassing on a protected site is a criminal offence under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005. He sentenced Egan to 16 weeks in prison for each trespass, to be served consecutively.
The incident highlights the need for robust security measures around royal residences. Kensington Palace is the official London home of the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children, making the breach a concerning breach of their privacy and security.
The new exclusion zone recently introduced around the Wales’ family home in Windsor Great Park, Forest Lodge, is a sign of the ongoing efforts to protect the royal family from such intrusions.
