Man’s bizarre reason for breaking into Buckingham Palace

A man who scaled the gates of the royal residence at night and made it in as far as the courtyard has claimed in trial he wanted to do one thing.

An intruder who broke into Buckingham Palace said he had no idea where he was and insisted to police he was looking for somewhere to urinate.

Thuraisingham Kumanaraj scaled the wrought iron gates of the London royal residence and jumped into the courtyard last August, a court heard.

After triggering the alarm at 9.30pm local time, Metropolitan Police officers found him four minutes later roaming the grounds.

When questioned, Kumanaraj, 52, insisted he had no idea where he was and that he was looking for a toilet so he could urinate, according to The Sun.

Internet searches on his phone revealed he been researching members of the royal family and Buckingham Palace.

Buckingham Palace, London residence of King Charles III. Picture: DeAgostini/Getty Images

Last week, Kumanaraj, 52, admitted trespassing on a protected site in August of last year.

Prosecutor Frances McCormack told Westminster magistrates: “He claimed in interview the reason he entered the location was to urinate and denied knowing the site was, in fact, Buckingham Palace.”

Long lines form outside Buckingham Palace as the annual summer opening of the Palace begins in August. Last August, a man broke into Palace grounds. Picture: AFP

The official London residence of King Charles III comprises 775 rooms, 19 staterooms and 78 bathrooms.

Four weeks after breaking into Buckingham Palace, Kumanaraj, of East London, was caught urinating outside a primary school in Brick Lane, East London.

He then attacked four police officers punching one of them on the chin and throat.

Two days afterwards, he attempted to steal the bag of a woman, an emergency worker, by snatching it from her neck and dragging her across the floor outside Epping Station in north London.

Kumanaraj admitted four counts of assault.

He denied the charge of attempted theft but was later convicted.

Kumanaraj has received a suspended jail term and is banned from approaching protected sites and has been slapped with an electronic tag for six months.

Originally published as Man’s bizarre reason for breaking into Buckingham Palace