A Lancashire man has been convicted of harassing the former Secretary of State for Health, Matt Hancock MP.
Geza Tarjanyi, 62, of Boundary Street, Leyland, Lancashire, denied two charges of harassment, but was convicted at trial at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, 2nd August 2023.
The trial actually took place over three days - Thursday, 8th June; Tuesday, 4th July; and Wednesday, 2nd August 2023.
Harassment is an offence under section 2 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. The maximum penalty on summary conviction is 6 months' custody and/or an unlimited fine.
The relevant sentencing guideline for harassment can be viewed here and I have provisionally put this offence, based on the information to hand, into category 1A/B.
There are three elements to the offence of harassment:
- The defendant pursued a course of conduct;
- The course of conduct amounted to harassment of another person;
- The defendant knew, or ought to have known, that the course of conduct amounted to harassment of another person.
The defendant is guilty of the offence if all three elements are proved beyond reasonable doubt.
The term "harassment" is not specifically defined in the legislation, but section 7(2) of the Act states that: "References to harassing a person include alarming the person or causing the person distress".
The court heard that Tarjanvi directly confronted Mr Hancock on two occasions, on 19th and 24th January 2023. Tarjanvi filmed both of those encounters and uploaded them to social media, which leaves little doubt about the content and hostile nature of the interactions.
On Thursday, 19th January 2023, Tarjanvi approached Mr Hancock as he was walking along Parliament Street and Derby Gate adjacent to the Department for Health.
Tarjanvi's own video footage shows him walking shoulder to shoulder with the politician and bumping into him. Several members of the public were seen nearby.
Mr Hancock said to Tarjanvi: "Excuse me, I'm walking down the street".
Tarjanvi replied: "You're walking into me. If you want to say I've assaulted you, I'll see you in court mate", adding "how about the people you've murdered?"
Mr Hancock then accessed a turnstile to enter a private area. As he was using the turnstile, Tarjanvi said: "You're a murdering scumbag. I'll say you're a murdering scumbag, because that's exactly what you've done to the British people".
On Tuesday, 24th January, Tarjanvi approached Mr Hancock on the concourse of Westminster tube station.
Footage (full video embedded below) shows Tarjanvi's camera held close to the back of the MP, who quickly recoiled and said "don't push me, don't push me". Tarjanvi denied pushing Mr Hancock.
Mr Hancock then descended on an escalator with Tarjanvi following closely behind. A female member of London Underground staff can be heard pleading with Tarjanvi to allow Mr Hancock to go about his business, but he continued to follow.
Towards the bottom of the escalator Tarjanvi could be heard saying: "Now you class this as harassment - and please class it as harassment - but the simple fact is that you have harassed me in my home".
As Mr Hancock walked away from the bottom of the escalator, Tarjanvi said to him: "We're going to get you in court, you lying son of a bitch. You murdering scumbag."
Tarjanvi then turned his anger towards the London Underground worker trying to assist Mr Hancock, saying: "You're not very bright, that's why you're working down here. This man murdered British people and you're happy with that. You're defending a murderer."
Mr Hancock was then seen to board a packed tube train, with Tarjanvi announcing to fellow passengers: "This is Matt Hancock the murderer; Matt Hancock, midazolam murderer".
Tarjanvi then sat next to Mr Hancock and continued to rant at him throughout the short Jubilee Line journey to Bond Street, referring to him as a "murdering scumbag". At various points he insulted the London Underground worker, who was sat witness to events.
Giving evidence, Mr Hancock recounted both of the incidents. He described Tarjanvi's conduct as "outrageous" and said he felt "alarmed" and "unsafe" by it.
Mr Hancock told the court that Tarjanvi claimed to have been arrested 16 times already, so was unconcerned about going to court. At several points during the tube video Tarjanvi could be heard saying "I want to be arrested. I want to go to court".
The outgoing MP for West Suffolk concluded: "In my time as a public figure, I can't recall a time when I felt as intimidated as this."
Tarjanyi spent the third day of the trial denying that the terms "murderer" and "scumbag", which he admits directing at Mr Hancock, amounted to abuse.
Giving evidence, he said "murderer is accurate" and "I don't know what (scumbag) means. I think it's a Lancashire phrase".
His barrister, Parveen Mansoor, put forward his denial that he had shoulder barged or pushed Mr Hancock, although that has never amounted to a defence against the charges of harassment before the court.
However, as it has been from day one, the video evidence against Tarjanyi is compelling - so compelling in fact that one can only assuming he has played along with the trial to publicise his own viewpoint and further denigrate Mr Hancock.
Further details of Senior District Judge Paul Goldspring's decision are given in the Evening Standard's report. In short, it would appear the Judge shares my view that Tarjanyi has orchestrated events in an effort to cause further embarrassment and distress to Mr Hancock.
The Judge has also accused the scheming 62-year-old of deliberately walking into Mr Hancock during both encounters, as it would give a possible line of defence if his actions were challenged later on.
I am confident Tarjanyi will appeal the conviction, because he seems to enjoy standing on his soapbox.
I'll update this article with details about sentencing once known.
Update (2/8/23): Tarjanvi was sentenced to 8 weeks' custody suspended for 2 years, with the requirement that he completes 200 hours' unpaid work.
He was also ordered to pay £930 towards prosecution costs and £156 surcharge.
He was also made subject to a restraining order the prohibits him from any contact whatsoever with Matt Hancock for a period of 3 years.
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