Man found guilty of trying to steal Magna Carta

47-year-old caught on CCTV after attempting to turn camera away from theft

Hammer holes in the glass case that housed the Magna Carta at Salisbury Cathedral (PA)

A man who attempted to steal Magna Carta, causing £14,000 worth of damage to its display case at Salisbury Cathedral, has been found guilty.

Mark Royden, 47, was caught on CCTV trying to smash through the casing surrounding the 13th-century document in October 2018 – alleging later he had acted because he believed it was not real.

Salisbury Crown Court heard Royden, from Canterbury, Kent, had attempted to turn CCTV away moments before the attempted theft – capturing his face on a security camera in the process.

He then attempted to break through to the parchment using gloves, safety goggles and a hammer he had brought with him for the task.

After his attack on the case, he was pursued by “good-spirited” members of the public including a pair of American tourists, cathedral staff and stonemasons – who detained him in a works yard outside.

The document, one of four to have survived the last 800 years, was not harmed.

Rob Welling, prosecuting, said Royden had made an “odd prepared statement” to police following the attempted robbery, in which he “doubted the authenticity” of the document.

His comments included: “You can’t talk to me about the holy grail so to speak, if you find a bag on the floor which says cocaine on it, you would have to test that bag forensically, as for your holy grail, you would need a carbon test and a trace element test.”

Judge Richard Parkes QC told the jury: “There is an irony that the charter of the Magna Carta that this defendant is charged with attempting to steal states that no free man may be imprisoned other than by the lawful judgment of his peers.

“It still holds good and is in the process of the court right now.”

He added: “We are not concerned with the authenticity of Salisbury Cathedral’s Magna Carta, it’s a state document of huge significance and one of four dating back to 1215 and the meeting of King John and the barons of Runnymede.”

The court was told Royden has 23 previous convictions covering 51 offences, including theft and criminal damage.

The defendant, who suffered brain damage in a car accident in 1991, is subject to a court of protection order regarding his finances and is aided by a carer.

Magna Carta – translated from Medieval Latin as “the Great Charter” – was agreed by King John in 1215 and marked the first established document laying out that nether monarchs nor the government were above the law.

The Salisbury copy of the world-revered document went back on display three months after the attempted theft, with the damaged case included in the exhibition as part of its storied history.

Royden was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing on 25 February.

Additional reporting by Press Association