A jury has been discharged after failing to reach a verdict in the trial of Tim Speers, a pro-Palestine activist charged with planning to disrupt the wedding reception of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Speers, aged 41, from Fairfield Road, Bude, Cornwall, was stopped by police on 29 July 2022 at the Daylesford Estate in the Cotswolds, the home of billionaire businessman and Conservative Party donor Lord Anthony Bamford, just as staff were preparing for the Johnsons' wedding reception scheduled for the following day.
At the time, Speers was found carrying spray paint and glue. Evidence presented included a voice recording in which he described his intention to spray paint the word “Palestine” on the estate’s lawn.
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Speers denied possession of the items with intent to cause criminal damage, stating he had abandoned the plan prior to his encounter with the police.
During proceedings, jurors expressed difficulty reaching a unanimous decision, submitting notes indicating they were “stuck” and divided in their deliberations. As a result, Judge Usha Karu discharged the jury on Monday.
The trial has been adjourned until 29 September, when prosecutors are expected to announce whether they will seek a retrial.
Speers has remained on bail throughout the legal process.
A second individual, Sean Middlebrough, charged with the same offence, did not appear for this trial and is set to face a separate trial on an undetermined date.