An asylum seeker accused of putting a faux bomb exterior MI5 headquarters on New Year’s Day has appeared in court docket.
Julian Valente Pereira, 32, allegedly positioned a cylindrical brown object with a string connected to it, resembling dynamite, on the entrance of Thames House in central London.
Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard on Tuesday that Valente Pereira additionally allegedly had a lighter and a prolonged doc marked with “HMCTS” in his possession.
Nia King, prosecuting, mentioned the incident on the afternoon of January 1 led to a highway closure exterior Thames House as emergency companies attended.
She advised the court docket that the defendant is known to have had a “grievance” with the Home Office.
Jack Ward, representing Valente Pereira, mentioned the defendant is an asylum seeker from Brazil, who moved to the UK in 2018.
He mentioned Valente Pereira is in full-time employment within the City and lives in lodging supplied by the Home Office in west London.
The defendant, who wore a jumper with a St George’s flag on it, beforehand pleaded not responsible to putting an article with intent.
The cost alleged he “placed an article, namely a cylindrical object resembling dynamite, at the entrance of Thames House, Millbank, SW1P, with the intention of inducing in another a belief that the said article was likely to explode or ignite and thereby cause personal injury or damage to property.”
He will seem at City of London Magistrates’ Court on February 19 for trial.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2154251/asylum-seeker-court-accused-placing-fake-dynamite-outside-mi5-headquarters