Welsh 'Stop Brexit Man’ cleared of flouting ban after playing Darth Vader's theme near Parliament

Steve Bray played edits of Darth Vader's theme and The Muppet Show with edited words just as then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak entered Parliament for Prime Minister's Questions

Steve Bray, known as the Stop Brexit Man, has been cleared of ignoring a police ban after he stood outside Westminster playing musical edits of The Muppet Show and Darth Vader's theme with anti-Conservative and anti-Brexit words.

Then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had turned up for Prime Minister's Questions when Mr Bray, 56, was outside playing music on March 20. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here

He was accused of failing without reasonable excuse to comply with a direction given under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 "re prohibited activities in Parliament Square" at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday, April 14, but was found not guilty.

Dressed in a blue and white short-sleeved shirt, he received a thumbs up from one of his supporters in the public gallery following the result of the case.

Mr Bray was spoken to by police on the traffic island at around 11.20am, just before Mr Sunak's arrival for Prime Minister's Questions. Officers told him he was prohibited from playing the speakers in the controlled area under a by-law, the court heard, after they showed him a map and a notice.

His trial at City of London Magistrates' Court was told that just after 12.33pm officers seized the speakers after the music resumed

The charge was denied by Mr Bray, from Port Talbot, who told a previous hearing playing music was part of his "fundamental right to protest" and that it was not played constantly but "sporadically" through the day. He represented himself in court.

Deputy District Judge Anthony Woodcock said of Mr Bray: "He admitted that he is 'anti-Tory', which is his words.

"He believes his is an important message to disseminate. He needs the volume that he uses to get the message across from Parliament Street to the Palace of Westminster. He says that his strategy needs pictures of him in the media and he's spent many hours campaigning and has never been arrested, his relations with police are generally good."

The Judge added: "His equipment operates on battery-power and is limited," before continuing: "He is described, virtually, accused of being 'fixated' – he's entitled to be. How he chooses to express those views is a matter for him," added the judge who said Mr Bray had a right to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly.

"Lampooning the Government through satire is a long tradition in this country."

Mr Bray previously told the court that The Muppets and Darth Vader themes were used "as the prime minister came in, which is what we always did for Rishi – apparently he's a Star Wars fan".

The police map, showing where he could not use the speakers, was incorrect, he claimed. Mr Bray, wearing a yellow and blue top hat, repeatedly said to police "you've got the wrong map", in a recording from body-worn footage.

It was out of date, he claimed, and suggested officers should check. He stuck his fingers in his ears when he was told he could not continue and said: "No it's not, it's not, not here – it's not wrong here".

He added: "I know what I can't do", and told officers they could stick it "where the sun don't shine". The judge said of Mr Bray: "Had he bothered to look at the map rather than passing it back to the officer, he would've seen that he was in the controlled area." Mr Bray should "reflect with some shame with the way he behaved towards each officer", said the judge.

But the judge added: "It was a peaceful demonstration, it was never violent and had never been in the past."

The negative impact of Mr Bray's music, which was heard as high as the sixth floor in nearby buildings, was pointed out by several witnesses. The defendant said he was sorry for this. But Mr Woodcock said he could not take seriously the suggestion that Mr Bray's actions were intimidating to people in Westminster.

Viewers of events around Parliament and Downing Street will be familiar with Mr Bray who has been protesting over Brexit for many years. When Mr Sunak announced a General Election in the rain last May, Mr Bray played D:Ream's Things Can Only Get Better at the gates of Downing Street

After the verdict, speaking outside court, Mr Bray said: "Today is a very important day, not just for us as protesters, but for everybody's freedom of expression and their right to protest, regardless what side of the fence you're on, whatever your protest is, this is a victory for you."

He said he planned to "carry on as we are. We're not going to make any more noise. It's going to be the same level."