Palace intruder climbed drain pipe

Press, 14 July 1982, Page 1

Palace intruder climbed drain pipe

NZPA London The man who broke into the Queen's Buckingham Palace bedroom sat on her bed dripping blood, and clutching a broken glass ashtray in his hand, according to 'a British newspaper. The Queen was unharmed in last week's incident and the man was detained. Bi|t the case of the palace prowler who clambered up a drain pipe into the Royal bedchamber, has caused a security row, and protection at the Queen's official residence has been increased. The “Daily Express." which first broke the news of the break-in yesterday, said that the Queen woke to see a man in a dirty T-shirt and jeans sitting on her bed with blood dripping from his hand and holding the jagged ash tray.."'" The Queen lay perfectly still and spoke to him calmly for 10 minutes until, under the-pretext of getting him a cigarette, she summoned a footman who detained the man, the “Express"- said. The Home Secretary) Mr William Whitelaw, confirmed in Parliament that the

break-in had taken place. But apart from admitting that there had been a “most serious failure in security arrangements." and praising the Queen's bravery, he gave no details of the incident. Another British newspaper said that the intruder had made at least 12 previous illegal night-time visits to the palace. The "Sun" said that it had interviewed the intruder's family and was told by the man's father, that he was a "Royal fanatic" who would not have harmed the Queen. It said that the man used to leave his wife in bed with the words: “I’ni going to see my girlfriend ).. Elizabeth Regina" (Queen). The “Daily Mail", said the bedchamber break-in occurred while an extensive alarm system was supposed to be in use round'the palace and 21 policemen were on duty inside and outside the building “not to mention the soldiers mounting formal guard.” „ • „

The distraught mother of the intruder told the NZPA that he' was not a .violent man.-

She said that news of his arrest had come as a complete shock to her and the rest of her family as it was so out of character. She had nothing but praise for the way the Queen calmly dealt with the fright- > ening'situation. “He is not a violent man, and I am certain there was no intention of any violence on his part." she said. “The' Queen must have been absolutely marvellous to have coped with the situation the way she did." The man has four children, and his mother said that she had been trying to keep them away from any publicity. According to the "Sun." the man’s mother said, “We knew he had trouble sleeping at nights, and he often went out in the early hours. But no-one had any idea where he was going." His sister said. “After a diary entry for May 2. he seemed to change. He was always smiling and giving the impression that he knew something important which we didn't.”

The sister assumed that May 2 was the day her brother finalised his plans to go into the Palace, the "Sun" said. She said that he probably paid his second-last visit to the Palace last week before he was caught early on Friday morning. “He had been away all night, and when I asked him what he had been up to, he told me with a broad grin: ‘l've been to see my girlfriend’." The father -said his son could do anything with locks — "He once told me that electronic gadgetry was dead easy." The man’s wife knew he .was leaving her in the middle of the night but had no idea where he had been, according to the "Sun." His father said. "He was a very-, happy-go-lucky person, and I think he would have put the Queen at ease straight away. He could smooth-talk anyone." Scotland Yard refused to comment on the family's statements. Further report, page 8