Student found guilty for throwing eggs at King Charles during York visit but he says he has ‘no regrets’

A student who threw five eggs at King Charles during a visit to York last year has been found guilty of a public order offence. Patrick Thelwell, 23, hurled the eggs towards the King and Queen Consort as they arrived at Micklegate Bar on November 9. All five of the eggs missed.

According to a report by the BBC, the student was found guilty after a trial at York Magistrates’ Court. Thelwell, who represented himself during the hearing, admitted throwing the eggs, but he claimed it was "lawful violence" and that he had “no regrets” and “no apologies” to the King.

Senior District Judge Paul Goldspring found the defendant guilty of threatening behaviour, saying he had "intended to cause King Charles to believe immediate unlawful violence would be used against him". The details of his sentence have not been made.

During the trial, Michael Smith, prosecuting, said that as the eggs were thrown, Thelwell shouted offensive remarks about the King, which included accusing the monarch of being "friends with Jimmy Savile".

He said Thelwell was also wearing high-heeled shoes and that he told police this allowed him to see the King through the crowd. Body-worn camera footage of Thelwell’s arrest, which was played in court, showed Thelwell saying: "I threw an egg at him because that’s what he deserved. It’s the only justice victims of colonialism will get."

The court also heard that Thelwell signed a custody form after his arrest with an obscenity and a drawing of an egg. Thelwell also asked Det Con Peter Wilson, giving evidence: "Do you think throwing eggs is serious violence? More than the violence carried out by the British state?"

Det Con Wilson said he did believe throwing eggs could be violent, but could not comment further. Thelwell told the court his defence was "that my actions towards the King were lawful violence rather than unlawful violence".

He also said he contested the court’s authority to try him because the Crown Prosecution Service operated for the monarchy and he had "acted out of necessity." He then criticised the UK’s asylum and climate policies, in addition to social inequalities, which he claimed were exacerbated by government policies.

He said: "Hundreds of people have contacted me to say they would have done the same thing and they would do the same thing if the King visited their community. Speaking outside York Magistrates’ Court before the verdict, Thelwell had said he had "no regrets and no apology to the King".