Trespasser told police he entered Parliament to “visit Prince Andrew and Prince Charles”
A trespasser who entered the Houses of Parliament informed officers he was there “to visit Prince Andrew and Prince Charles,” a court was told.
Devon Dorrall, 23, from Tilehurst, Berkshire, had previously admitted to one count of trespassing on a protected site at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on November 30.
A maintenance engineer heading towards the Cholmondeley Room noticed the defendant walking in the corridor. He observed that Dorrall had a visitor’s pass but was unescorted, as stated by prosecutor Malachy Pakenham in court on Monday.
The engineer had a conversation with Dorrall about his presence in that area of the House of Lords, and Dorrall claimed to be a victim of crime and said he was “effectively with Prince Harry,” but the prosecution noted, “Prince Harry was nowhere to be seen.” The engineer then left to alert the police.
Dorrall “stared in a manner which officers previously described as threatening,” the court heard earlier.
The court was also previously informed that he mumbled to the officers, stating “it was their fault,” called an officer a c***, and clenched his fist, “becoming aggressive in his mannerisms.”
Mr. Pakenham explained: “The officer asked him questions regarding his purpose of visit… the defendant said he’d come to visit Prince Andrew and Prince Charles from the royal family.”
The defendant was detained and arrested.
The prosecution stated that during the last hearing, Dorrall was experiencing a “psychotic episode” following the “consumption of illegal drugs.”
The court previously heard that he was residing in a hospital facility after being sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
During the last hearing, the court was informed that Dorrall had previously been referred to the Prevent programme, and on Monday, a liaison and diversion team member informed the court that it concerned a bomb hoax 10 years ago.
The liaison and diversion team member also mentioned that Dorrall showed delusional characteristics.
Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring noted that nobody had clarified what the defendant was doing there, and Yasmin Eshaghian, defending, remarked: “I think that’s probably something he doesn’t know himself.”
The Daily Mail previously reported that Dorrall climbed onto the roof of the Parliamentary Education Centre and reached the Cholmondeley Room before the worker raised the alarm.
Dorrall, wearing a black shirt, black trousers, and sunglasses hanging from his shirt collar, pleaded guilty to a separate offence on Monday, criminal damage to property, and the sentencing for both offences was postponed until December 1.
The court heard that two days prior to the trespassing offence, the defendant threw glass bottles at the doors of Be At One bar in Reading, Berkshire, causing £800 worth of damage.
In an interview the following day, he described himself as “acting as a prat” and said he “hadn’t got anywhere to sleep and in his words ‘was wandering around aimlessly,’” the prosecution stated.
Mr. Goldspring deferred the sentencing and imposed conditions including: the defendant must engage with the Prevent programme; not commit any new offences; engage with mental health services; an updated mental health services report was ordered to be made; and the defendant must reside as directed by mental health services.
Mr. Goldspring said: “The reality is that while you’re subject to the mental health sectioning, it’s difficult for this court to decide how to sentence you.”
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said after the incident: “Police were called at 1:04 p.m. on Sunday, November 30, to the Palace of Westminster where they arrested an intruder.
“He did not come into contact with members of either House.”
Head of Investigations
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