York student who threw eggs at King Charles III found guilty of threatening behaviour
A man who threw eggs at King Charles has been found guilty of threatening behaviour.
Student Patrick Thelwell shouted "friends with Jimmy Savile" and made other offensive remarks about the King after throwing a number of eggs towards the monarch during a walkabout in York last year.
The 23-year-old had pleaded not guilty to a public order offence, and argued in court that his use of "low level violence" was lawful as it was self defence against "the violence carried out by the British state".
On Friday, chief magistrate senior district judge Paul Goldspring found the defendant guilty of the charge.
He said Thelwell had “intended to cause King Charles to believe immediate unlawful violence would be used against him”.
The King and Queen Consort had arrived in the city on 9 November to unveil a statue of the late Queen at York Minster, and were being welcomed by local dignitaries at Micklegate Bar when Thelwell threw five eggs.
York Magistrates' Court heard the eggs came "very close" to hitting King Charles.
Thelwell, who represented himself, told the court he had worn shoes with a heel so he could see the King through the crowds.
He told the court: "I threw an egg at him because that's what he deserved."
The judge sentenced Thelwell to a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work.
He also ordered the defendant, who said he had now given up his studies, to pay £600 court costs and £114 surcharge at a rate of £5 per week.
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