A MAN from Bude allegedly plotted to spray paint the word “Palestine” on the lawn at Boris Johnson’s wedding reception venue, a court has heard.

Tim Speers, 41, from Bude, was among two people found to be carrying spray paint, glue, and a red boiler suit when they were accosted by police at the Cotswold estate of Conservative Party donor Lord Anthony Bamford.

The incident happened on July 29, 2022, the day before Lord Bamford, the chairman of the JCB empire, was due to host the reception for Boris and Carrie Johnson’s wedding at his Daylesford Estate home.

Speers had recorded a voice note saying he had “agreed” to carry out a protest at the estate for Palestine Action, jurors at Southwark Crown Court heard.

“There’s this big heart mowed into his lawn, so the idea is to just go up to it and write Palestine in red paint, through a weed sprayer”, he said in the note.

However, Speers has now denied intending to cause criminal damage, insisting he had abandoned the plan after arriving at the estate and noticing the large security presence.

Jurors were told police officers spotted the two men holding cans of beer and looking “quite out of place” on the Daylesford Estate, and when approached by officers they “appeared agitated at being stopped by police”.

It is alleged they refused to say where they were going before claiming they were on holiday and looking for a train station.

The court heard the officers searched the men’s bags, finding two cans of red and white line marker paint, a can of black “very high temperature” paint, and superglue.

Prosecutor Christiaan Moll said the police discoveries “suggested… that the two men might be in the area to cause disruption”.

In a voice note created by Speers the day before the event, he explained that he had been contacted by two individuals from Palestine Action a couple of hours prior. In the note, he explains: “They’ve asked me to do an action, which I’ve agreed to do.

“So basically that Lord Bamford is hosting some like party this weekend, Boris Johnson.

“Lord Bamford is like the owner, his family the owner of JCB if no-one’s aware… the Israeli government basically use JCBs to bulldoze Palestinian homes to create way for Israeli settlers, so this dude just profits from untold suffering.”

He went on to say: “On his lawn apparently there’s this just giant heart, I haven’t seen it but Rich said like there’s this big heart mowed into his lawn, so the idea is to just go up to it and write Palestine in red paint like through a like weed sprayer.”

Speers continued with a request for someone to film the stunt, and claimed it would be a “piece of p**s to justify” the action in court.

Mr Moll said Speers is expected to accept he had the paint and glue, as well as making the voice note, and he planned to paint ‘Palestine’ on the lawn.

Speers denies having an article with intent to destroy or damage property.