CStrange things happen every day, but last year, a man took it to another level by driving his car straight into the gates of Buckingham Palace — and now, he has finally pleaded guilty.
One might assume that crashing into the gates of Buckingham Palace was a bold act of protest against the power and privilege of the British monarchy. Unfortunately, the truth is far less dramatic — no Luigi Mangione-level intrigue to be found here. So, allow me to explain what led to the detention of a 26-year-old for crashing his car into the gates that protect the wealthiest family in Britain.
The man who crashed into the Buckingham Palace gates was described as “fidgety and dazed”
This situation happened on March 9, 2024, when Johnny Scott from Hornchurch, East London, drove his VW Polo into the south-central gates of Buckingham Palace in the early hours of that Saturday morning — and as it seems, it may not have been an intentional act. Given the high level of security on the premises, armed police immediately detained Scott on suspicion of criminal damage — although he first needed a trip to the hospital.
According to Prosecutor Laila Cunningham, the 26-year-old appeared “fidgety and dazed,” necessitating a medical examination and a report on the case — partly to rule out the possibility of terrorism. Following the assessment, he was sectioned under the Mental Health Act and released on bail — until now.
The 26-year-old driver pleaded guilty in court
Despite being arrested months ago, Scott has finally appeared in court, where he pleaded guilty to causing damage valued at over £24,000 (around $24,680) to the Buckingham Palace gates. However, his next court appearance is scheduled for February 13, pending the completion of medical reports.
In the meantime, District Judge Annabel Pilling released Scott on conditional bail. According to the judge, he is more likely to receive a community-based penalty rather than a custodial sentence. “You have entered a guilty plea today,” she stated during the court session.”You will be given credit for that, as you have pleaded guilty at a very early opportunity.”
This incident caused a major commotion at the time it occurred — even though, reportedly, no members of the Royal Family were at the residence when the crash happened. Nonetheless, the situation went viral on social media after users shared and posted footage of the moment Scott was arrested. In the video, police can be heard instructing him to “keep [his] hands above [his] head.”
Despite the seriousness of the incident, it quickly became clear to The Met that this would not be treated as a terror-related case, though the exact circumstances behind the crash are still unknown. This is also a very isolated incident, as Buckingham Palace has no prior reports of being rammed by a car — although its security has been breached several times over the years. Unsurprisingly, these incidents have led to increased security protocols at the site.
According to ITV News, Buckingham Palace is “carefully kitted out with state-of-the-art CCTV cameras that monitor the grounds 24/7,” in addition to the “physical presence” of armed guards stationed outside, who are trained to “stop any threats to the palace and to the royals.” Just in 2021, a man entered the premises with a crossbow intending to assassinate the late Queen Elizabeth II — but hey, at least no more cars will be ramming into the gates anytime soon. Hopefully.
Published: Jan 17, 2025 05:08 pm