Bruce Shillingsworth snr appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court on Friday for a hearing after denying a charge of trespassing on Commonwealth property in December.

Shillingsworth, who wanted to be referred to as "Mundagutta", was alleged to have trespassed onto Old Parliament House in December, refusing to leave the steps after being directed to during protests.

The charge was ultimately dismissed by magistrate James Lawton after a two-hour hearing, during which Shillingsworth remained standing.

Shillingsworth, who called himself a "living man", began the hearing by saying Mr Lawton was "in breach of court", accusing him and his fellow magistrates of being "disloyal trustees" after another of them had previously entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

Mr Lawton allowed Shillingsworth to withdraw his plea, but was forced to re-enter it on his behalf after the man refused to enter a plea.

Shillingsworth was supported in court by four women, one of whom was described as his "assistant" and "interpreter".

Mr Lawton ordered the woman to "be quiet or I will hold you in contempt of court" at one point, and also directed her to sit down as she was disturbing proceedings.

Shillingsworth told the court he did not trespass as police and Aboriginal Elders had an agreement the protesters would be allowed to protest in the carpark during certain hours and the protesters were given 10-15 minutes to leave the steps of Old Parliament House.

A Commonwealth prosecutor argued Shillingsworth had been told to move on from the Old Parliament House steps by the building's head of security, but the man had refused to and remained without a reasonable excuse.

A senior constable gave evidence he heard over the radio the protesters were given a warning to leave and 10-15 minutes to facilitate their exit at 11.30am.

However, body-worn camera footage showed Shillingsworth being arrested at 11.41am on the steps of Old Parliament House.

Mr Lawton called the warning given to Shillingsworth "ambiguous" and said it "didn't make it clear that he would be trespassing if he stayed".

The magistrate also said Shillingsworth did have a reasonable excuse as he was "arrested within the 10-15 minutes" given to him to leave.

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