A UNIVERSITY worker accused of splattering black treacle over a bank window and glueing himself to the floor inside has appeared in Taunton this morning (Monday).

Police were called to Barclays in Wells and the branch was closed after Benjamin Buse allegedly staged his protest there on April 1 this year.

Buse, 35, of Rodney Stoke, near Wells, was originally charged with causing a public nuisance and criminal damage.

But at his hearing at Taunton Crown Court today, Mr Recorder James Waddington QC said the Crown Prosecution Service had dropped the public nuisance count.

The criminal damage count is not deemed serious enough to be dealt with by the crown court, so Buse, who works in the laboratory of the geology department at Bristol University, was told he will stand trial at North Somerset Magistrates' Court at a date to be fixed.

The court was told he is expected to plead not guilty.

The protest is said to have been staged in support of Extinction Rebellion and Money Rebellion. The branch was immediately closed and the police were called.

Outside court, Buse said: "I'll be pleading not guilty at the magistrates' court and hopefully they'll find me not guilty."