Anti-vaxx protester shoulder-barged Matt Hancock and accused him of murdering people during confrontation about Covid epidemic that left ex-Health Secretary 'shaken up', court hears

Geza Tarjanyi, 62, is accused of shoulder-barging the former Health Secretary Read more: Moment Matt Hancock is 'pushed' and called a 'murdering scumbag' 

Matt Hancock was shoulder-barged and left ‘shaken up’ by an anti-vaccination protester who accused him of murdering people during the coronavirus pandemic, a court has heard.

Geza Tarjanyi, 62, of Leyland in Lancashire, who has denied causing harassment without violence to the former health secretary, is accused of shouting ‘ridiculous conspiracy theories’ on two separate occasions.

He was charged with a count of common assault and a public order offence for a clash on January 24, alongside a second public order offence for an earlier confrontation on January 19.

On the first occasion, close to Parliament, Mr Hancock was ‘accosted’ by Tarjanyi, who made physical contact, aggressively questioned him and verbally abused him, the court heard.

Nutan Fatania, prosecuting, said Mr Hancock passed an anti-vaccination protest before Tarjanyi filmed him, where the former health secretary was confronted about why he had ‘killed so many people’ and was shoulder-barged.

Geza Tarjanyi leaves Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, where he is charged with one count of common assault and public order offences

The former health secretary was ‘shaken up’ by the confrontation, during which he was asked why he had ‘killed so many people’

A few days later Tarjanyi followed Mr Hancock through Westminster underground station and onto a train where he again accused the MP of murdering people, it was alleged.

Ms Fatania told Westminster Magistrate’s Court: ‘Mr Hancock felt shaken up by both incidents and concerned for his personal safety.’

Mr Hancock, giving evidence, said: ‘I had a pretty good impression he had been taken over by these ridiculous conspiracy theories.’

Parveen Mansoor, defending, said Tarjanyi denies any physical contact and believes it was Mr Hancock who ‘barged into him’.

She added: ‘He denies assaulting him in any way shape or form.’

Geza Tarjanyi, 62, of Leyland in Lancashire, has denied harassing the former health secretary Matt Hancock

Tarjanyi  is accused of sitting next to Mr Hancock on the Tube and ranting at him as a Transport for London employee monitored the situation

Mr Hancock, 44, was health secretary when the coronavirus pandemic struck and was a key figure in the lockdown restrictions and vaccine rollout that followed.

He resigned after leaked CCTV images showed him kissing an adviser in his office, in breach of his own social distancing guidance.

Mr Hancock later angered colleagues and constituents by flying to the Australian jungle to appear on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in November 2022.

He netted a whopping fee of more than £300,000 for the TV stint and made it all the way to the grand final.

Having been stripped of the Conservative whip over the appearance, he said he will not contest his seat at the next election and will step down.

The trial continues.