Wednesday 9 February 2022

American tourist, 25, who jumped over fence into Buckingham Palace's stables while suffering from psychotic episode is fined £200 after admitting trespassing charge

 An American caught in the toilets after sneaking into Buckingham Palace's stables admitted a trespass charge when he appeared in court today.

US citizen Joseph Huang Kang, 25, admitted trespassing on a protected site in the Royal Mews on December 10 last year.


Appearing at Westminster Magistrates Court today, Kang was fined £200 and told to pay £85 costs and a £34 victim surcharge.

An application by his lawyer for a conditional discharge was rejected because Kang had ignored signs saying he was on a protected site.

Kang, wearing a grey tracksuit and a blue face mask, spoke only to quietly confirm his name, date of birth and address during the hearing which lasted around 15 minutes.

The court heard Kang, from Houston in Texas, flew to the UK on December 1 last year during a bout of poor mental health.

Joseph Huang Kang, 25, outside Westminster Magistrates Court earlier today where he pleaded guilty to trespass at the Royal Mews

Joseph Huang Kang, 25, outside Westminster Magistrates Court earlier today where he pleaded guilty to trespass at the Royal Mews

Kang was seen loitering about the Royal Mews with his suitcases. After leaving, he returned and abandoned his suitcases while leaping over a fence into the protected area

Kang was seen loitering about the Royal Mews with his suitcases. After leaving, he returned and abandoned his suitcases while leaping over a fence into the protected area

Kang, who has unspecified organic psychosis, did not tell his bank he had moved to the the UK and, on the day he was caught in the toilets at the Royal Mews, he had lost many of his valuables, including his passport, the court was told.

It is estimated that his parents have been paying £1,400 a week for a hotel room for their son near Kings Cross station.

Weera Sena, prosecuting, said: 'Buckingham Palace has a number of signs explaining that it is a protected site, and the defendant was seen loitering outside there with two suitcases at 2.15pm reading the signs about the site being a protected one.

'He then walked off, leaving the two suitcases, which drew the attention of staff members.

'He was told he could not leave property behind and then collected his cases and walked off.

'At 3.55pm he was noticed again before jumping over the fence at that exact same spot.

'He was again challenged by staff, but he ignored them and ran within the protected site into the quad area of the Royal Mews. He was found in the toilets at the back of the Mews. There was nothing in the suitcases to cause any alarm.'

Mr Kang, an American tourist, sneaked into the stables of Buckingham Palace while suffering a episode of psychosis and wanted to be arrested, according to his lawyer

Mr Kang, an American tourist, sneaked into the stables of Buckingham Palace while suffering a episode of psychosis and wanted to be arrested, according to his lawyer

Kang, who is currently staying in a London hotel, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court (pictured) for sentencing today

Kang, who is currently staying in a London hotel, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court (pictured) for sentencing today 

Lucy Watson, the lawyer representing Tang, said his mental state was 'fluctuating' before he intruded onto Palace grounds.

His bank was not told he had come to the UK, so he was left without funds and suffered from psychosis before he was due to get on a flight back home.

On the day of the offence, he had lost his valuables including his passport.

She added: 'No damage was caused, and little harm resulted from this matter.. His culpability is low. He can be given a conditional discharge.'

Joseph Huang Kang, 25, entered the Royal Mews - which houses the royal family's horses - while suffering a 'psychotic episode' on December 10 last year

 Joseph Huang Kang, 25, entered the Royal Mews - which houses the royal family's horses - while suffering a 'psychotic episode' on December 10 last year

Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring told him: 'I accept that had you not been suffering from psychosis you might not be before me today.

'That is slightly undermined by the fact that you knew perfectly well you could not go back after you were there the first time.

'I do not accept your lawyer's submission that this does not merit any form of punishment because you went back after knowing you should not.

'I am going to impose a fine. There needs to be a deterrent, although in your case I think your whole experience in the UK may have been enough of a deterrent.

'The quicker your parents pay the fine, the sooner you can get on a flight back to Texas and the less they will have to pay for a London hotel, which is obviously very expensive.'


The incident is among a string of security scares on royal property last year.

Cameron Kalani, 44, was yesterday spared jail and banned from the SW1 area of London for a year after climbing the fence at the Royal Mews on 10 May last year.

On Christmas Day Jaswant Singh Chail allegedly threatened to assassinate the Queen with a crossbow in a chilling video he posted online just 24 minutes before he was found on the grounds at Windsor just 500 metres from the Queen's apartments.

He claimed the attack was revenge for the 1919 Amritsar Massacre in Punjab, India when British colonial troops opened fire on protestors, killing 379 and wounding around 1,000 of them.

On 2 May a couple were arrested after they climbed a wall at Windsor near where The Queen walks her corgis and Prince Andrew lives.

In April a 44-year-old woman who claimed she was engaged to Prince Andrew was let onto the grounds by bungling security staff.

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