Marylebone secretary ‘armed with two knives asked to see David Cameron at the gates of Downing Street’

A secretary from Marylebone went to the gates of Downing Street armed with two kitchen knives and asked if she could see David Cameron, a court heard.

Denise Gardiner, 27, of Armitage House in Lisson Grove, was turned away by an on duty police officer at the ‘highly restricted area’ when she asked if she could speak to the Prime Minister, it was said.

Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard she was concealing two 30cm knives taken from the house she lives in with her mother in nearby Marylebone.

Gardiner, who worked as a secretary with the NHS, is said to have returned to the gates a short time later before dumping the blades and a scarf on a nearby wall.

Police released CCTV footage of the incident, on 24 February, and launched an appeal to trace the woman on BBC One’s Crimewatch.

Gardiner, who was arrested last Friday, made her second appearance in court yesterday charged with two counts of possessing a knife in a public place.

Prosecutor Izolda Gribbin said: “The defendant went to the public gates of Downing Street in possession of two concealed knives, where she met an on duty police officer and asked whether she could see the Prime Minister.

She added: “She has been diagnosed with an acute psychological disorder.”

Gardiner was remanded in custody ahead of a preliminary hearing at Southwark Crown Court on August 18.