By Gabriel Princewill-
Matt Hancock has expressed relief after an anti-vaccine protester who accused the former Health Secretary of murdering people during the coronavirus was found guilty of harassment.
The former health secretary said he feared being pushed down an escalator by Geza Tarjanyi, 62, of Leyland, Lancashire, who shoulder-barged him and on two separate occasions on 19 and 24 January, accusing the former health secretary of being a murderer. His accusations were in relation to the pandemic.
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Tarjanyi, 62, pursued Hancock as he walked to Parliament on January 19, when the MP said he was confronted with a string of shouted conspiracy theories and accusations.
Five days later, the now dismissed Cabinet Minister had just finished a breakfast meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Downing Street when he was confronted in the street again by Tarjanyi.
The activist, who had camped out in Whitehall, pursued Hancock to Westminster tube station and on to a Jubilee Line train, continuing to question the former Health Secretary, who was later sacked from his post after breaking lockdown rules.
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A relieved Hancock said after the case:
“We in the UK pride ourselves as a global symbol of democracy, built around respectful debate to build a more inclusive and harmonious society,” he said. “Violence against anyone for their political beliefs is unacceptable.
“I would like to thank the [Crown Prosecution Service], Transport for London and the British Transport Police who have been fantastic throughout.”
Hancock, along with a member of his staff, passed an anti-vaccination protest near parliament, before Tarjanyi filmed him, asked him why he had “killed so many people” and shoulder-barged him during a five-minute interaction.
Hancock had told the court last June that he felt intimidated by the actions of the protester.
Closing the case for the prosecution, Nutan Fatania said: “Mr Tarjanyi was following Mr Hancock. It was reckless of Mr Tarjanyi to be that close. He knew [his actions] would be distressing. Mr Hancock felt extremely intimidated. It was deeply upsetting and alarming.”
The second incident occurred at about 8am when Tarjanyi followed the MP through Westminster underground station and on to a train for about 10 minutes, again accusing him of murdering people.
Hancock said he recognised the defendant and felt “more intimidated” because he was on his own and tried to get Transport for London (TfL) staff to intervene.
However, he told the court that Tarjanyi began harassing anyone who came to his aid, and continued following him through the station.
Hancock said he stopped at the top of an escalator to “resolve the situation” but felt the defendant pushing him towards it.
He said: “Obviously, I was extremely worried at this time. If I had lost my balance at that point, I would have tumbled down the escalator. I had to work to maintain my balance and stop myself falling down the escalator.”
Hancock said he feared Tarjanyi was willing to commit a crime, alleging the defendant had told him he “wanted to go to court”.
The defendant’s mobile phone footage of the second incident, played to the court, showed him calling Hancock a “murderous scumbag” and saying lockdown amounted to the harassment of the UK because of Hancock’s “lies and deceit”.
Tarjanyi denied the charge of harassment without violence and described the claims as “laughable”.
Closing the defence case, Parveen Mansoor said: “As far as he is concerned, Mr Tarjanyi was there to ask questions. Mr Hancock did not ask police officers to help him.”
When asked if he followed Hancock, Tarjanyi repeatedly denied it and told the court he was “interviewing him”.
Lies and deceit were actually not farfetched allegations levied against the government over which Hancock presided as Health Secretary.
Under his leadership as Health Secretary, hospitalisation rates caused by covid were wildly exaggerated on numerous occasions, as were death rates.
Imposing lockdowns on the populace, while outrightly breaching itself amounted to deceit by any measurable standard, as much as cheating on his wife did.
Accusing him of being a murderer was a step too far, without the requisite element of intent in any given scenario of deaths associated with covid
Hancock recently had a complaint made to press regulator, IPSO, dismissed after, after accusing the Daily Mirror of inaccuracy for multiple transgressions committed by the former health secretary in relation to alleged corruption connected to lucrative PPE contracts given to some of his associates during the pandemic.
He was criticised for breaking parliamentary codes of conduct by participating in ITV programme, I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here.
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