Man admits treason after breaking into grounds of Windsor Castle with crossbow ‘to kill Queen’
A man has admitted trying to harm the Queen after being caught in the grounds of Windsor Castle with a loaded crossbow.
Jaswant Singh Chail told police he was “here to kill the Queen” after breaking into the grounds on Christmas Day 2021.
Today he pleaded guilty to charges under section two of the Treason Act 1842, along with possession of an offensive weapon and making threats to kill.
The 21-year-old, from Southampton, was wearing a mask at the time and the Queen was in residence.
He came within sight of the late monarch’s private apartments when he was stopped by a police officer.
The officer said he looked like “something out of a vigilante movie”.
Jaswant Singh Chail had entered the grounds of Windsor Castle with a loaded crossbow for his planned regicide. Pic: Maureen McLean/Shutterstock
The crossbow was loaded with a bolt at the scene. Pic: Gardham/CPS
Chail, a former supermarket worker, had uploaded a video to TikTok half an hour before his stunt, saying he was taking revenge for the Amritsar massacre of 1919 in India.
He had a fringe and neatly trimmed beard as he appeared by video link in court from a room at Broadmoor secure mental hospital, wearing a black jacket with fake fur collar, black t-shirt.
He spoke only to enter his pleas, leaning forward to speak into the microphone.
A previous hearing was told that shortly after 8.10am on 25 December 2021, an officer was on duty at the gate which serves as the main vehicle and foot access into the private part of the castle.
The Queen was in her private apartments at the time and the gate “allowed immediate access to the apartments. It is never open to the public,” Kathryn Selby, prosecuting, said.
‘Morning, can I help mate?’
The officer saw Chail walking slowly through the private grounds towards him and began to approach him.
As he did so, the officer realised that Chail had his hood over his head and was wearing a mask which the officer described as “like something out of a vigilante movie or dressed for Halloween.”
The officer unclipped his Taser before saying, “Morning, can I help mate?”
Chail told him: “I am here to kill the Queen.”
Realising that the man was holding a crossbow, the officer drew his Taser and shouted for him to drop the weapon and get to his knees.
Chail immediately complied, placing his hands on the top of his head when told to do so, before repeating “I am here to kill the Queen.”
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The weapon was loaded with a crossbow bolt with the safety catch off and ready to fire.
Prosecutors revealed that crossbow bolts, a metal file and other items were later found in a hotel room, where Chail had stayed the previous night.
The crossbow was said to be comparable to a powerful air rifle and had the potential to cause serious or fatal injury.
The video in which Chail claimed responsibility had been recorded four days earlier and sent to Chail’s contacts list about 10 minutes before his arrest, prosecutors said.
‘Please don’t remove my clothes’
During a search, a handwritten note was found that read: “Please don’t remove my clothes, shoes and gloves, masks etc, don’t want post mortem, don’t want embalming, thank you and I’m sorry.”
He was 19 at the time of the attempted attack and a British citizen, born in Winchester, without any previous convictions, cautions or traces on the police national computer.
Nick Price, head of the Special Crime and Counter-Terrorism Division of the Crown Prosecution Service, said Chail had been intercepted by armed officers in what was a “rare” incident.
The case was investigated by Scotland Yard’s Counter-Terrorism Command.
Commander Richard Smith, who leads the Counter-Terrorism Command, said after the plea hearing: “This was an extremely serious incident, but one which the patrolling officers who apprehended Chail managed with great composure and professionalism.
“They showed tremendous bravery to confront a masked man who was armed with a loaded crossbow, and then detain him without anyone coming to harm.”
Reason for delay to treason case
Chail was detained under the Mental Health Act before being sectioned and transferred to Broadmoor secure mental health unit in February.
Alison Morgan KC, prosecuting, said that a report produced in November indicated he was now fit to enter pleas, after it noted a significant improvement in his health.
Reporting restrictions on the details of the case were lifted after Chail pleaded guilty to attempting to injure or alarm the sovereign, contrary to section two of the Treason Act 1842.
The case was adjourned for further psychiatric reports and he will be sentenced on 31 March.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations she lived in properties linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh.
It comes after the current Bangladeshi leader, Muhammad Yunus, said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated.
He told the Sunday Times the properties should be handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.
Tory leader Ms Badenoch said: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.
“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.
“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”
Ms Siddiq insists she has “done nothing wrong”.
Her aunt was ousted from office in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership and fled to India.
Ms Siddiq is also named with her aunt in Bangladesh court documents about meetings with the Russian government.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir to sack the minister
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As economic secretary to the Treasury, Ms Siddiq is responsible for policy on both the City and tackling corruption.
She referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics watchdog on Monday following the reports about the properties.
On the same day, the prime minister said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.
“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”
Police in Aberdeen have widened the search area for two sisters who disappeared four days ago in the city.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV on Market Street after leaving their home on Tuesday at around 2.12am.
The sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – crossed the Victoria Bridge to the Torry area and turned right on to a footpath next to the River Dee.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti were last seen on CCTV in Market Street. Pic: Police Scotland/PA
They headed in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club but officers said there is no evidence to suggest the missing women left the immediate area.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and a marine unit have been trying to trace the pair.
The sisters crossed Victoria Bridge before walking along a footpath next to the River Dee
The pair were heading in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club on the south side of the River Dee
Further searches are being carried out towards the Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour and Duthie Park.
Police Scotland said it is liaising with authorities in Hungary to support the relatives of the two sisters.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Eliza and Henrietta’s family are understandably extremely worried about them and we are working tirelessly to find them.
“We are seriously concerned about them and have significant resources dedicated to the inquiry.”
The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Officers have requested businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review their CCTV footage for the early morning of Tuesday 7 January.
Police added they are keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage from that time.
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