A jury has been discharged after failing to reach a verdict in the trial of Tim Speers, who was accused of plotting to disrupt former Prime Minister Boris Johnson's wedding reception. Speers, 41, allegedly carried spray paint and superglue to the Doylesford Estate in Gloucestershire on July 29, 2022, the day before the reception for Boris and Carrie Johnson was scheduled to take place.
Speers, from Bude, Cornwall, denied having items with the intent to cause criminal damage. He maintained that he abandoned any plan to spray "Palestine" on the lawn by the time police approached him at the venue. The judge discharged the jury at Southwark Crown Court and adjourned the case until September 29, when prosecutors will decide whether to pursue a retrial.
During the trial, the jury heard that police stopped Speers and another man, who faces a separate trial, after they were observed carrying cans of beer at the estate. Initially, they reportedly refused to state their reasons for being there, claiming they were on holiday. The prosecution presented a voice note recorded by Speers the day before his arrest, in which he stated he had agreed to participate in an "action" at the request of two Palestine Action activists.
The jury, which began deliberations on Friday, had sent the judge several notes indicating they were "stuck" and divided on their verdict. The Johnsons were married in a private ceremony in May 2021, and their wedding celebrations were held at Daylesford House on July 30, 2022, with marquees and hay bale seating set up on the grounds.