Homeless man jailed for breaking into Buckingham Palace

A homeless man who broke into Buckingham Palace last month before falling asleep on a glass cabinet in Queen Elizabeth II's London residence has been jailed for trespass.

Steven Lawlor scaled metal railings to enter the grounds of the palace on July 16 and tore down poster boards and a display cabinet to use as bedding, Westminster Magistrates' Court in London was told yesterday.

Security staff spotted the 44-year-old sleeping near the south-east corner of the palace on CCTV in the early hours of the day before he was arrested. The queen was not in residence at the time.

Lawlor, who appeared in court via video link and pleaded guilty to criminal damage and trespassing on a protected site, was jailed for 28 days for trespassing and 21 days for criminal damage, to be served concurrently.

Deputy Senior District Judge Tan Ikram told him, "You knew where you were entering, you would know the impact in terms of security, the costs and consequences in relation to your actions. You have 70 previous convictions and this adds to your appalling catalogue of offending."