Leyland anti-vaxxer ‘intended to cause damage in protest at Sajid Javid’s home’, court told

An anti-vaccine protester was carrying spray adhesive and posters when he turned up at Sajid Javid’s home to deliver an “legal notice”, a court has heard.

Geza Tarjanyi, 61, travelled to the then-health secretary's home in Fulham after finding out where he lived to stage a protest against the Covid-19 vaccine rollout on 3 January.

Tarjanyi, of Boundary Road, Leyland, Lancashire, was carrying spray adhesive and a number of posters at the time of the incident.

Prosecutors say he intended to destroy or damage property – a charge the defendant denies.

At the opening of the trial at Isleworth Crown Court, the court heard the defendant had filming equipment and an envelope of paperwork, alongside a man, who could film the protest.

Before showing the footage to the jury, prosecutor Archie Mackay said the defendant can be seen ringing the bell and then handing an envelope to Mr Javid’s daughter, who answered the door.

“She was disturbed to the extent that she asked them to stop filming her,” he said.

The prosecutor said, after closing the door, Mr Javid’s daughter rang her parents, who were nearby with two police officers, one of whom came back to the house immediately.

Later, the protection officer Phillip Hatzidakis told the court that Mr Javid’s wife – Laura Javid – became “distressed” when she received the phone call from her daughter during their trip to a nearby pizzeria.

He said: “We were sitting outside the restaurant. She come outside being very distressed, speaking to herself, seeming quite upset at the time.”

The officer said he grew concerned when Tarjanyi pulled the canister out of the bag, adding: “It could have been anything.”

He said the defendant “looked at me and said, ‘Let’s make things a bit spicy,'” before putting his hand into his bag.

“As a police officer, I was a bit worried for myself because I sensed he wanted to fight or escalate things,” Mr Hatzidakis said.

“I stepped back at this time because I wasn’t sure what he had.”

The footage shows the defendant standing outside the house, saying he has just “served a notice” to Mr Javid in the form of a letter, before reading his own copy to the camera.

In the letter, Tarjanyi threatens to sue Mr Javid for any harm or death caused by the Covid-19 vaccine, calling its rollout “a crime”.

“I’m exposing their involvement in the biggest fraud and threat facing our national security,” he said.

He can also be heard saying that he wants to be arrested and “face these monsters in court”, before taking what looks like a canister out of his bag.

At this point, Mr Javid’s personal protection officer, who had been monitoring the situation, detains him and takes the canister before Tarjanyi was arrested.

Mr Mackay told the jury the defendant said in his police interview that he “never intended to cause damage and only intended to get arrested”, but he later admitted he would have been “happy” to do so if it meant he was arrested.

Tarjanyi denies having an article with intent to destroy or damage.

The trial continues.