Urban explorer says trespass incidents are to 'explore interest in history'

An urban explorer has said he enters abandoned buildings due to his interest in their history after posting footage from inside an empty Grade II-listed mansion.

The man, who uses the name Bearded Reality, filmed himself at Bretton Hall near Wakefield, which is part of a plan by the members-only Groucho Club to open an outpost in the north.

The site, which was previously used as a college and is owned by Wakefield Council, has been vacant for 19 years, and was due to open as a hotel and venue this year.

Bearded Reality said he was exploring the building for around an hour and 20 minutes before security realised he was inside. He entered the fenced-off grounds before climbing through a window.

The council has now said that round-the-clock security is in place following the Bretton Hall incident and intruders entering the city's County Hall, which is still in use despite claims by the group of urban explorers that it is abandoned.

Bearded Reality, who is based in West Yorkshire, said: "I have been doing this now for nearly 11 years.

"I am a trespasser but when you've been doing this for a while, you know the ins and outs of the law."

He said he enters premises based on "security mistakes" such as an open door or window, but would not physically break in.

His primary motive is to explore buildings that had been left to decay due to his interest in history.

"Also, because we knew there was security on site, we wanted to see how well they are actually protecting it," he added.

"At Bretton Hall, it was absolutely ridiculous because we were there for about an hour and 20 minutes, if they've got sensors and other things, they should be able to pick us up."

According to the Crown Prosecution Service, trespass is "not of itself a criminal offence".

However there are some offences in which trespass is an essential element, such as failing to comply with police to leave land or aggravated trespass, which involves intentionally intimidating, obstructing or disrupting the lawful activity of others.

Bearded Reality said: "Until we're told to leave, we just remain on site, take photos, document it. If we are told to leave and we refuse, this is where it becomes criminal."

In the footage titled "Sneaking inside the abandoned Bretton Hall mansion", the men are seen leaving the site after being spotted by security.

Afterwards, one of them says: "I'm glad they are restoring it. They are going to try and look after it. But if you can get anybody in it, and anybody can just walk in, I don't know. It's not great."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the council has also stepped up security at County Hall and contacted the police after online footage appeared to show intruders filming themselves inside the Grade I-listed building.

A further investigation is also being carried out after Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust contacted police earlier this week over footage appearing to show an urban explorer entering tunnels underneath Pinderfields Hospital.

The trust clarified that despite the man's claim that he was beneath the hospital, the tunnels actually served an administrative building on the site.

Conservative councillor Nadeem Ahmed asked a full council meeting on Wednesday what safeguards had been put in place to prevent further breaches occurring at local authority-owned buildings.

Deputy leader John Thomas said: "This is part of an ongoing police investigation, so I can't comment any more.

"There is now 24/7 security on this building among many other buildings as well."

Thomas confirmed the security upgrade covered buildings including Bretton Hall, as well as Woolley Hall, which is currently in the process of being auctioned after being earmarked for sale by the council.

Councillors have previously raised questions about the Groucho Club development as work has still not started on Bretton Hall's conversion following the announcement in 2024. Planning permission to turn it into a hotel has now expired, meaning a fresh application would need to be submitted.

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