Tim Haries, 41, charged with criminal damage at Westminster magistrates court and released on conditional bail, but is banned from London

This article is more than 7 years old

This article is more than 7 years old

A Fathers4Justice campaigner has appeared in court accused of defacing a portrait of the Queen in Westminster Abbey.

Tim Haries, 41, from Doncaster, is alleged to have smuggled a can of spray paint into the abbey on Thursday before defacing the picture.

He appeared at Westminster magistrates court on Friday charged with criminal damage of more than £5,000.

Asked by the court to enter a plea, Haries, of Bellis Avenue, said he was "not in a position" to at that moment.

He was released on conditional bail until the next hearing, at Southwark crown court on 28 June, but banned from London in the meantime.

The painting, by Ralph Heimans, which was put on public display last month, was damaged with paint at lunchtime on Thursday.

The work, valued at around £160,000 and called The Coronation Theatre, Westminster Abbey: a Portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, has been removed from public display for repairs.

Immediately after the damage was done, a picture was taken and the image was uploaded to the internet.

Haries allegedly shouted "Fathers4Justice!" when he was arrested.

Chief magistrate Howard Riddle released Haries on conditional bail at the end of the 12-minute hearing, but said he had to stay outside the M25 after police raised concerns over Haries joining an apparent Father's Day protest in the capital planned for Sunday.

Haries was supported by at least one Fathers4Justice activist in the public gallery, although the group said the act at Westminster Abbey was not an official protest.

The portrait was designed to commemorate the Queen's diamond jubilee and had only been on display in the Chapter House for a few weeks before it was vandalised.

Haries made no comment as he left the court.